


For the Power of Love

by RainyTazmily



Category: Mother 1 | EarthBound Zero | EarthBound Beginnings, Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound, Mother 3
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Magic, My First Work in This Fandom, Too many tags o dear, Your classic highschool-AU-to-crazy-deathdefying-adventure story, super olddd ficcc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2019-10-07 08:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 109,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17362535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainyTazmily/pseuds/RainyTazmily
Summary: A strange hit-and-run. Mysterious disappearances left and right. A sinister, overarching ploy is at hand, and supernatural powers can only do so much to save four boys from internal turmoil. Love can be selfish, love can be selfless... but at what point does it truly cross the line? AU. Crossposted from Fanfiction account. *[NOTE 9/24/19]: Revamping chapters during spare time, 16/39 COMPLETE*





	1. Name These Children

**Author's Note:**

> Keep in mind that this fic is... really darn old haha!
> 
> Loving the idea of an overprotective!brother Claus, I wrote this (still unfinished) fic over 4 years ago when I hadn't played any of the mother games. You can tell that the earlier chapters reflect this (i.e. fandom Ninten/oreo cliches, cliche Porky bullying, oh my goddd etc). There's a lot of things I wish I could've changed in this story, especially with the development of Ana and Paula, but I'm proud of how much my writing's improved from the first chapter :)
> 
> I figured that crossposting this fic here would help me streamline older chapters one at a time as I work on the next chapter. Plus I wanted to see the true wordcount without my old obnoxious A/Ns ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading, and enjoy this behemoth cliche of a story :DDD

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Í̯̮͎̍ͮ **t̉͐͌͐ͯͭ͝'̖̥͚̳̔̅ͭͣ͊ͣs͍͚̹͖̖̐̌ ̷̰̞̼̭̙̅̓ͦ̓ḥ̯̮͞ẹ͖̙̬̹̟͋̽̓̓̍͆̃́r̳̘͓̈ͪ͘e͖͖̫͝**  
**̳̖͓I҉̟̤̹͚ͅt͎͚'s͚͔̳ ̙̭̪͍̘̗̙h͉̬̲̬̻͚̙e̢̻͔̪r͘e ̯͔̩I̪̻͎̪̲ͅt̻͚̟͚̕'͏s͓̬ ͔̭̠̯̝h̲̬̞ͅe͔̤̰͈r͢e͚̰̱ ̙̪̦̥̫**  
**͇̭͉I̶t͍̜̮̟̣'͍̮̜̞͔ͅs ͕̟͇h̙̟͍̗e̴̲͎͎r̙͙e̹̺̪͈̟͠ͅ ͖̥̳I͠t̡̜̘̘̱͉͉'̰͖̲̲̻s ͖̟he̟re͏̗͕̖̤̖ ̲̱̙̳I̹̟t̙͚̺͇͔̳'s̞ ̰̫̯̠̰̀h̸̭̰̻͙̱̲̤e̹̥̳r҉e**  
**͏͈͉͉I͞t̶̻͖̥̦͙'̫s͜ ̴̳̜̝̪h̥̰e̹͔̝̮͈̰̻͘ṛ̖̫̖̭̳e̪͕͚̠̰͢ ̥̭̯I̳͘t̗̣͞'̬̳͚͙̰̼s͎̪͙̥̯̟ ͉h̘̹͇͎e̠r̴̠͚e̫̜͞**  
**̶͓͓͍̼I̸̩̱̙̫͔t'͚̘̲̱̘̰͡s͙̗̩ͅ ̹̳̞͔ͅͅh̡e̠͇r̜͉̳ͅe͇͇͕**  
**̳**  
**̘͓͡H̜̭̠̹̞͠ͅ**  
**͏͎̯̻É̫͈̩̥̱͓**  
**̮̹̦̗̞͓Ļ͍͇̠**  
**̫͉̦͓P̙̤͕̦̥̬**  
**̛̪̭̮̱̘͇**  
**̛͖̟̝̞̱̥U̙͝**  
**̴͔S̥͈̗**

The shadows of two lone men flickered against the dying candlelight.

A fat ring-studded thumb flipped the bloody Queen of Hearts onto the aged wood. "Darling, can you be a dear and hold back the tortured cries of your condemned souls? They're giving me a nasty headache."

Across the poker table, his tall comrade spoke. "I can't control them. They're growing restless, Fassad. Mani Mani knows-"

"Oh hush," the Magypsy bopped him in the nose in rebuke. "Excuses, excuses! Are you blathering to yourself again? Be careful, sweet. You might accidentally  _kill_  one of your precious students before we spur your plan into action. Why, if I didn't know better, I'd say that your insanity is positively showing, my dear~❤" The Magypsy pinched the cigarette between their manicured nails and heaved a deep exhale. A funky smoke streamed past their lips. "Stop blathering. Pass over the roll book, sweet."

A thin hand slid the the triple-hole punched binder onto the poker table.

Magypsy's eyes widened at the ID photos. "So your nephew's now-"

"Yes."

"How time flies!"

"Yet every second must not be wasted."

The Magypsy bopped him on the nose a second time. "Relax, darling. You're about to witness a legend. A myth beyond which mortals can wish for!" A finely manicured fingernail raked across the smiling portraits of the new highschool freshmen. "If your nephew is really whom you think he is-"

"He is, without a doubt."

"Then a new generation of psychics is finally on the rise. High school students... and supposedly, one of them is the fated Needle Puller." The Magypsy clapped their hands together. "Ohoho, how exciting this is~❤!"

"Your visions have brought us this far. How much longer do we wait?"

"Wait? Oh, no, sweetie. I'd say that the time is now," The Magypsy said softly. Ash dripped from the end of the cigarette, trickling into a ghastly grin onto the cracked marble floor. "Stay strong, sweetheart. The game's in the bag."

* * *

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_**~ARC I: NAME THESE CHILDREN~** _

~ _ **Chapter One**_ ~

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_"If you love something, you have to let it go."_

_**~Anonymous~** _

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* * *

It was the first day of high school. An intimidating, yet strangely exciting thought.

In rising anticipation, Claus tugged on his khaki pants and turquoise striped shirt. He took surprising care to select clothes that weren't wrinkled or disheveled. First impressions were everything, and as hasty as he was, Claus had no intention of making a fool of himself in front of everyone. There was a good reason why  _Freshmen_  were also called  _Freshmeat._

That did not, however, explain why his brother had wanted to spend a full thirty minutes in the bathroom.

Glancing impatiently at the wall clock, Claus danced on the balls of his feet. "Lucas, we're going to be late!"

As if on cue, his brother burst out of the bathroom, half-dressed and wild-eyed. "Socks!" he muttered dazedly, then started digging through his pile of neatly folded clothes.

Such was Lucas - a sleepyhead who could barely function at all in the morning.

Claus pressed his lips together to smother a snort, trying not to laugh as a now fully-dressed Lucas fretted over his school bag.

"Do you think I should bring one notepad or two?" he asked, and Claus rolled his eyes.

"It's the first day of school. Teachers won't care."

Lucas bit the corner of his lip. "But I care..."

"You checked like three times yesterday," Claus said, exasperated, and pushed him out the door. "Now hurry, let's move!"

"W-Wait!"

"What now?"

"You forgot something."

"I did?"

Lips threatening to curl into a smile, Lucas threw his brother a knowing glance. "Think again. You missed something important."

Puzzled, Claus came to a halt. "I don't think I did-"

"We've always done it on the first day of school."

Claus's face blanched with realization. "No!"

"But it's mom's good luck tradition-"

"Lucas, we were like,  _five_  when we started this. Don't you think it's about time we grew up?"

Apparently not. Lucas plastered a pathetically hopeful expression onto his face.

Claus narrowed his eyes. "Lucas, no."

Lucas continued to plead at him with those pitifully sad eyes. Oh no. The kicked puppy face. No one could say  _no_  to that face.

Claus averted his eyes and determinedly stared at the ceiling. "I know what you're trying to do, Lucas, and it's not going to work."

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

"...Fine," Claus caved in. "Let's get this over with."

As if those words had flicked on a light switch, Lucas dashed away without a second to waste. There was the rough sound of wooden drawers opening and slamming, then Lucas danced in, tossing him a spare hairbrush. Within a minute, Claus found himself combing through his brother's feathery-soft hair. He heaved a sigh as Lucas mirrored his actions, feeling the teeth of his brother's comb prickle his skull.

When he deemed his younger brother presentable enough, Claus threw the plastic hairbrush aside. "Okay, done-"

"Sit still." Lucas stuck his tongue out at him through the mirror, then gave a wordless exclamation. "Claus, what did you do to your hair last night? It's completely knotted!"

"Who cares? You know how messy my bed hair is - Hey, watch the -  _OW,"_  Claus yelped, recoiling from the sharp yank of pain. "Are you trying to pull my hair out?"

"Sorry!"

Entirely fed up with his brother's antics, Claus attempted to rise, but Lucas pushed him back onto his seat.

 _"Lucas,"_  Claus groaned. "We're gonna be late for school-"

"Five more minutes."

With an impatient sigh, Claus rested his head on his elbows, drumming his fingers against the wardrobe. He humored his neat-freak of a younger brother for a little longer before bolting to his feet. In one fluid motion, Claus gently, but firmly, set Lucas aside.

"Claus, your hair-"

"It looks  _fine,"_  Claus shook off his brother's pleas and rushed outside. His yell rapidly faded off into the distance. "Lucas, hurry up! Or else we'll  _really_  miss the bus!"

Lucas frowned but this time, didn't object, slinging his own bag across his shoulder. Stealing a glimpse at the ticking clock, he sprinted after his older brother, only for a stray thought to seize his mind. Lucas lurched to a halt, hesitating just over the threshold before uneasily turning his head back around to shoot a look of concern at the man sprawled eagle-spread on the couch.

"Bye, dad," Lucas said softly.

Doubling back to fetch his brother, Claus caught the look and gave a contemptuous snort. "I doubt he heard you. He's passed out."

"But-"

"Ah crap, we can't be late on the first day of school!" Panicking, Claus dragged his brother along by the arm.  _"Let's go, go, go!"_

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~oO0Oo~

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The Onett city bus was historically ancient.

Caked in a millennium of rust, the wheezing hunk of metal smelled like old grease and sour copper. The floor bumped with every rickety crick in the concrete road, roughly jostling passengers and suspending them in air for half the ride. The only upside the bus had, it seemed, was the catchy tune filtering out of its black, feebly-flickering speakers.

There was good reason behind Claus's earlier panic.

The twins lived far from downtown. Because the school charged an exorbitant amount of money for parking permits, to head to school, the twins had to rely on public transportation. The city bus had several stops in downtown Onett -  _one of which dropped them off in Podunk Estates_  - from where they would walk all the way to the nearest school stop. The first city bus passed through Rural Tazmily at five O'clock in the morning; the next city bus wasn't scheduled to come for another three hours.

Which meant that missing the bus spelled DISASTER.

With a cheerful twinkle of automated chimes, a woman's cool voice announced,  **" _Next stop: Podunk Estates_."**

Claus poked his dozing brother in the cheek. "Hey, sleepyhead. That's our stop."

Stirring against his shoulder, Lucas blearily fluttered his eyes open. "Hmr?"

The impatient shove almost pushed Lucas clean off the tattered seat. "Honestly, why do I have to do  _everything?_ " Claus grumbled, half-carrying, half-dragging his younger brother down the stairs. With a gasp of smoke, the bus rattled off. "I feel like I'm chaperoning a kid."

Lucas yawned again. "I'm not a kid-"

"Then what are you?"

"I'm tired."

Tired? All righty then, Claus had just the cure for that. Grinning like a lunatic, he darted forward, scooping Lucas's satchel off his shoulders in an act of mischief.

A delayed response.

Lucas blinked, registering the sudden lack of a heavy weight on his back before his sleep-deprived brain finally caught up to the present. Betrayal dawning in his eyes, Lucas whipped around.

"Hey, give back my bag-"

 _"Never,"_  came the swift cackle. Hopping backwards on one foot, Claus playfully dangled the two backpacks like bait, then blew his exasperated twin a raspberry. "Better catch me first, slowpoke."

With a wild whoop, Claus tore through the sidewalk like a speed demon on steroids.

Lucas flailed his arms. "Not fair! You had a head start."

"Nothing's fair in life, lil' bro!"

Clawing at empty air, Lucas doubled over to steal a breath. "Claus...! Ugh, too... much... effort."

But Lucas wasn't giving up by long shot. Pride of becoming the Alpha Twin was at stake. If Lucas so much as  _lost_ , Claus was gonna rub this in his face for a good week.

And  _nothing_  was worse than dealing with Claus's inflated ego at home.

"I'm gonna regret this," Lucas groaned, but kicked off, chasing after his twin brother.

At the end of the block, another silhouette rounded the corner.

A thud. Two yells.

Lucas had tangled his legs over another pair of shoes. Gravity took effect, and Lucas plowed face-first into his half-asleep victim. The unfortunate victim stumbled backwards, now wide-awake thanks to the rude wake-up call.

"Ow! What the-" Rubbing his head, Ness winced as his fingers brushed over a sensitive spot right above his eyebrow. "What's the big rush?"

"My bad, Ness," Lucas stammered, dropping to his side to pick up Ness's fallen lunchbox. "We were in a hurry not to miss the bus, and I didn't see you coming from the side. Are you-?"

Ness waved his apology off. "It's cool. Claus again?"

Lucas nodded.

Ness cracked a grin. "Why am I not surprised? He can't stand still for a single second, can he-"

"What happened?!" Claus popped his head out of a hedge. Shaking the leaves out of his hair, he took one look at their sprawled figures, then groaned, instantly deducing what had transpired. "Lucas, you complete  _goofball_ _-"_

"I'm not a goofball. You stole my stuff," Lucas mumbled, snatching his bag back. Much to their amusement, his cheeks began to glow a faint pink in growing mortification.

Of course, his older brother wasn't one to let this moment slide.

With a wide smirk, Claus poked his twin's face. "Heh. You look like a tomato."

"I'm not a tomato!" Visibly flustering, poor Lucas buried his face into his hands as a deep crimson flush crept up his neck.

Classic Lucas.

Ness decided to spare his best friend further embarrassment. With a huff, Ness replaced his cap on his head; his dark bangs rose before settling down to frame his now-frowning face. "I can't believe it. I walk all the way from downtown Onett just to catch this stop, and the dolt who actually  _lives here_  is nowhere in sight. Where is he?"

"Watch him miss the bus right when it leaves," Claus sniggered.

An indignant exclamation erupted behind them - the final member of their party had arrived.

Ninten doubled over on his knobbly knees. "Not. Late." Gasping for breath, he straightened his back and stretched out his arms. "Phew, I'm beat!"

"About time," Ness added, thumping him in the back. "Where were you?"

"Thank my twin sisters. They're the devil incarnate," Ninten groaned, throwing him a desperate look. "Ness, I can't take it anymore...! Here, I'll trade them for Tracy. Just for a day? Come on, come on,  _come on-"_

"Sorry, 'Ten. Your sisters, your problem." Ness cracked a grin. "What did they do this time?"

"Minnie thought it'd be funny to hide my bag under the stairs. Dad chewed me out and gave me a ten minute lecture."

"Heh. Loser."

"Shut up, Claus." At Ninten's disgruntled expression, Ness held back a snicker, but not one to hold a grudge, Ninten brightened back up again, bouncing back to his usual optimism. "Hey. Hey, Claus." Ninten danced around the taller boy like a waddling space penguin in orbit. "Claus. Claus. Claus-"

Claus elbowed him in the side.  _"Stop embarrassing me,"_  he said, flashing a scary smile that threatened death, and Ninten tumbled to the ground like a rolly-polly.

Immune to Claus's murderous expression, Ninten waved up at him. "Hey. Guess what?"

"You finally acknowledged your own stupidity?"

Ninten laughed. "Nope! you wish. My mom bought a new pack of Oreos today. And it's the seasonal edition that comes out, like, once a year!"

"..."

"Shut up, Claus."

Claus looked highly affronted. "I didn't say anything!"

Ninten's eyes narrowed. "You look like you're judging me."

"Really? Well, maybe because I am."

"Oh yeah? I-"

"Woah," Ness interrupted, pushing them aside. "Guys, I know we're glad to be bus buddies again, but no more bickering. Remember what happened last year?"

They gave a respectful moment of silence for the lost silly putty.

The moment didn't last long.

"He started it," Ninten and Claus yelled in sync, pointing at each other. Lucas stifled a laugh. Claus's hair was tussled up from a neat duck tail into a shocking red explosion, and Ninten's hat had been knocked off his head during the fray. Noticing the cap resting near his feet, Lucas picked it up and returned it to its rightful owner. Ninten gratefully took it just as the yellow bus pulled over by the curb.

"Thanks, Lucas. I don't understand how someone as nice as you has  _this_  demon for a twin brother-"

Claus jabbed a finger into his chest. "YOU TAKE THAT BACK. I bet you're still stuck on Level five in Drago Quest IV-"

"Level sixty-nine!"

"Liar!"

The two ended up bickering all the way to school.

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~oO0Oo~

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The lunch bell rang.

Students filed out in a babbling sea of voices. Finding his own locker, Ness punched in the correct passcode and dumped his textbooks in. Just as he did, a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Hey there."

He turned around. His eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh! Hi, Paula. How was your summer?"

"Ahh, you know, same boring three months as usual." A lazy smile played on Paula's lips. "You know, I'm actually glad that we started school. Talented Drama sounds pretty interesting."

"You're taking Talented Drama? I thought you were taking piano II," Ness said, surprised.

" _Ana_  is," Paula corrected. "And I was going to too, but yeah... last-minute schedule problems."

Ness grimaced as an unpleasant memory resurfaced in his head. "It could've been worse."

"Really now?"

"I was almost placed into Ballet."

"...Ah."

There was an uncomfortable pause as both of them tried very hard not to think of a Ness clad in pink tights.

Then Paula broke into a laugh. "Well it would've helped you with your flexibility-"

Ness shuddered. "No. Please, no-"

As dramatic as ever, Ninten chose that moment to burst out of a nearby classroom. He laughed, stretching out his arms to the glorious heavens above. "I'm free! Ah, Lunch time, Our Almighty Lord and Savior-"

Ness knew a gift horse when he saw one, and gratefully took the opportunity to change the subject. "Freshman English?"

Instantly, Ninten's face fell. "Dreadful," he groaned. "I thought I was going to die. SAT prompts are stupid-"

"We're starting SAT prompts today?" Ness grimaced, resigning himself to another boring class. "Fun."

Ninten nodded, sympathetically slapping him on the back. "I know, right? Share the pain, Ness. Share the pain."

"I can't see why you're complaining, Ninten. Writing an SAT prompt's like arguing for your own case." Paula mischievously cocked an eyebrow. "And every time I see you, you're always squabbling with Claus over one thing or another-"

"Not always!"

"You were bickering with him this morning," Ness pointed out.

Paula's grin widened in triumph. "I knew it."

"Today was an exception. We only bickered a  _little,"_  Ninten said feebly.

"That's nonsense, and you know it. At least take pity on Ness and Lucas and tone it down a notch-"

"All right, mom."

Paula threw him a grin worthy of a feral shark.  _"What_  did you call me?"

"Mom... nomnom. Haha! I'm super hungry-" Ninten hastily changed the subject again. "Ness, when's first practice? I heard that you're team captain this year. Now  _that's_  dope," Ninten said, trying  _(and failing)_  to ignore Paulas's gleaming eyes flashing in his direction. "And as a freshman too. Rising the ranks a little too early, don't you think?"

"Co-captain," Ness corrected, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, I was lucky. The coach happens to know me. He's in charge of the Youth baseball camp I coach for over the summer, and he wants me to gain some leadership experience off the bat-"

 _"Ayyy,_  bat. I see what you did there."

"So yeah. Our first game's at the end of this month. Baseball season's starting earlier because of budget cuts." Catching Ninten's bewildered expression, Ness gave him a helpless shrug. "I don't control politics. Blame the Eagleland government."

Ninten gave a contemptuous snort. "When is it never the government?"

"Sorry to interrupt y'all, but I'd best be going," Paula said, lifting her rucksack onto her back. A hint of her Southern drawl had crawled into her voice. "I promised to meet Ana for lunch, so I guess I'll catch you both later. And  _Ninten,_ " Said teen began to sweat bullets into his shirt. "I haven't forgotten about what you called me. We'll have a nice chat about that another time."

"Yes ma'am," Ninten squeaked.

Smirking, Paula turned her attention back to Ness. "Friday at five?"

"Cool. See you later," Ness called out. Paula broke into a genuine grin and waved them off a final time before disappearing down the hall.

"Man, Paula's scary," Ninten noted, wide-eyed.

"She's pretty mellow unless you touch her berserk button. Paula absolutely hates nicknames. And you did technically call her  _mom_."

"It was just a joke!" Ninten whined.

"Everything's a joke to you."

"Not everything. I do take some things seriously." Flipping his bangs to the side as if the gesture bought him +1000 cool points, Ninten gave into his trademark vampire grin. "So... hey, hey,  _hey._  What's the dealeo between with you and Paula?"

"We're study buddies," Ness sighed, reaching for his tattered copy of History. "Working my ass off with Paula saved my chemistry grade last year. But physics to her is like the plague. She's even looked up the syllabus in advance so that I can help her study for the first exam-"

"Study buddies? Ness, you sly dog. _"_

"Don't give me that. Out of us all, you're the hopeless romantic-"

"Not true!"

Ness rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that, Casanova. It's so obvious that the entire school pretty much knows."

"I don't have a crush!"

"Figures. Any girl would be too good for Ninten." They whirled around, and Claus sauntered towards them, twirling his car keys around his thumb. Slipping them into his pocket, Claus fixed Ninten a flat look. "Denial's like, the first step to acceptance. It's been years. You should find yourself a better hobby than hitting on every hot chick in school, or even better yet, get yourself a girlfriend, because whining about how love-sick you are about Ana to us isn't gonna solve your problem."

Clamping his mouth shut, Ninten's face colored up. Claus smirked, taking vast enjoyment in his discomfort.

Claus was right again. As usual.

Composing himself, Ninten smirked back. "What if I feel like whining anyway?"

"I will hurt you."

"No hurting in this holy discord. Let's find seats, guys. The cafeteria's starting to pile up," Ness pointed out. Students were pouring out of the classrooms for lunch, and yet, a certain blond had yet to appear. "Where's Lucas?"

"He's not with you?" Claus asked sharply, turning around.

"Nope. Ninten?"

"Nay, captain."

A frown creased Claus's forehead. "What the hell, I thought he was hanging out with you guys..."

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~oO0Oo~

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"-and in the corner, we have the one and only  _widdle cwybaby wimp."_

"Leave me alone!"

"Aww. You're no fun."

Lucas tried to snatch his music sheet out of Pokey's hands, but the bigger boy shoved him back, sending Lucas sprawling into the concrete floor. Around them, oblivious students mingled in the courtyard, carrying their lunches outside to enjoy the summer sun.

_**Pop.** _

_**Snap.** _

Pokey cracked his knuckles. "Had a good summer? I hope you did. Because I've been looking forward to this all year." His small piggy eyes glinted with triumph. "Not feeling so tough without your friends? Ha, I can fix that so you'll have NO friends-"

To his own self-disgust, Lucas could feel his tears springing into his stinging eyes. "P-Please, Pokey," he stammered. "Give back my music sheet. It's not mine. I borrowed it-"

"Oh." Pokey dangled the wad of paper in front of his face. "You mean this ratty-tatty thing?"

In front of Lucas's horrified eyes, Pokey slowly tore a corner off, all the while watching him with a wide, gloating smile. In a last-ditch act of desperation, Lucas darted forward, hoping to seize his precious paper out of harm's way.

But this open opportunity was what Pokey had been waiting for.

A cry of pain tore through Lucas's lips as Pokey slammed his shoulder against the brick wall. Lucas squirmed around, trying to wriggle himself free, but Pokey had already pinned his arms to the side.

"Can't fight?" Pokey jeered, twisting Lucas's right wrist for a good measure. "You're pathetic."

Not two minutes ago, Lucas had been minding his own business, waiting for his friends to finish class.

This was not how he'd expected the first day of highschool to start.

Above him, Pokey seemed to be mulling over an "interesting" thought, and Lucas felt dread seep into his skin. Anything Pokey found "interesting" most likely equated to "torture" and "suffering" on his own part, and terrified, Lucas clawed against the rough ridges of the brick wall for traction, but the unforgiving concrete only scraped against his exposed elbows.

Pokey's grip was too tight.

"You know what?" Pokey said, cocking his head. "It's our first day back. I think I'll be nice. Kneel."

Lucas's eyes widened. "But-"

Pokey twisted his wrist into a sharper angle, cutting off Lucas's protest in another yell of pain. "You heard me, pipsqueak.  _Kneel_."

Tears swam in his eyes, and Lucas squeezed them shut, trying not to cry.

Unfortunately, Pokey had interpreted his continued disquiet as defiance. "The silent treatment, huh? Is the crybaby feeling bwave without his big, scawy bwother?" Pokey slammed him by the shoulder against the brick wall, and Lucas winced, feeling another spasm of pain spike through his arm. "I asked you a question, runt. Answer me."

"I don't-"

_"Kneel!"_

"Sorry, I'm sorry-"

Pokey's face churned a tasteful shade of prune purple. "I didn't ask to hear your stupid apologies. Are you deaf? Do you want me to punch you black and blue until you can't stand?"

Lucas twisted around his tight grip. "I swear, Pokey, I won't get in your way again," he rasped. "P-Please, stop-"

"Oh boohoo, look at me. I'm a pathetic crybaby!" Pokey said in a mocking, high-pitched warble. "You and your stupid twin brother are always in my way. You little-" Porky calmed himself down. When he spoke again, his voice sounded dangerously quiet. "Kneel. Now. Or your precious property gets it."

There was nothing else for it. His pride wasn't worth getting into trouble. Lucas screwed his eyes shut, and slowly slid his arms down-

Suddenly, the force pinning Lucas to the wall vanished, sending him sprawling unceremoniously against the floor. Gasping as the impact pushed all air out of his lungs, Lucas raised his head, staring numbly at the familiar set of sneakers protectively planted in his vision.

"Get your filthy hands off my brother, Porky."

It didn't take rocket science to realize that Claus was furious. His entire face was as crimson as his fiery orange hair; his eyebrows, a dangerous V.

Taking this as the cue to intervene, Ness and Ninten rushed to Lucas's side, pulling him back up.

"Well, if it isn't crybaby's twin." Pokey laughed, pointing at him. "Hey crybaby, good thing your brother's here to save the day _._  How is it like to feel so weak and pathetic?"

"Shut up, Pokey," Ness gritted.

Pokey's eyes lit up. "Ness," he said pleasantly, stuffing his hands into his own pockets. "How are you, old friend?"

"You're no friend of mine."

"Pfft, don't say that. We used to be like, best buds until those two losers came along." Pokey's features soured. "Then you betrayed me."

"Uh, what?" Ninten snapped his head up in retort. "I think it's the other way around, jerk. Who sabotaged our baseball game in seventh grade?"

"Fine, I used to be a jerk. I admit it." Pokey opened his arms magnanimously. "But that's the past. Ness! I can still be a good friend to you. At least, a better one than your present company. The twins,  _Crybaby_  and  _Lunatic._  They make a perfect match."

Sharp shadows etched a murderous expression on Claus's face, and Ninten shivered. if Claus ever shot that death glare towards him, he would've fled the opposite direction screaming for his life. "I dare you. Say one more word-"

Clutching his bulging belly, Pokey laughed harder. "Just listen to him, Ness! Their mom died from a freak accident, so they live alone with their dear old dad. I bet it's all a lie too. My dad says that no one's seen your dad around this school for  _years._  I bet he's dead too-"

Letting loose a draconian howl, Claus dragged back his fist back for a punch, but before he could take another step, Lucas and Ninten had each grabbed an arm, digging their heels into the ground. But even with two against one, Claus persisted, trying to yank his arms free in wild abandon.

If possible, Lucas looked even more terrified. "Claus, don't! You'll get into trouble-"

"He's not worth it," Ninten added grimly.

"Lemme at him, just this one time," Claus exploded. "D'ya hear me, Pokey? One day, I'm gonna take my bare hands around your neck and-"

Ness stepped in. "You've done enough damage for one day, Pokey," he said in a low voice. "Leave. Don't think that we won't make you."

Smirking, Pokey searched his face, about to call Ness's bluff, but his expression soured like spoiled milk when Ness looked deadly serious about carrying out his threat. Stealing a last glimpse of Claus, who had torn himself free, and then of Lucas, who was trying to calm his furious brother down, Pokey caved into an unpleasant scowl. With an angry swipe of the hand, Pokey hurled down the music sheet, spun on his heel, then stormed off without another word.

Lucas quietly picked up the fallen sheet. The paper was crumpled, tattered with the rip in the corner, but to his relief, very much salvageable. He wouldn't have to pay Duster back for his undamaged score. With careful hands, Lucas smoothed out the edges, then slid it back into the appropriate music folder.

As soon as Pokey had disappeared, Claus fell limp, panting from exertion. "I swear, three years. Three years! If he tries to pull four, I'll-"

"That's enough, Claus," Ness said tiredly. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Ninten said, scrabbling for something in his pocket. He dug out an inhaler. "Just give me a breather..."

"I'm okay." Rubbing his sore wrist, Lucas avoided their eyes, withdrawing into his impenetrable shell. Pokey's sudden assault seemed to have shaken him soundly.

Upon noting his brother's change in posture, Claus's throat prickled with guilt. He had been so caught up in his fury that he had forgotten why he had lost his temper in the first place. Briskly striding over, he ignored his younger brother's exclamation of shock, then began to scan him for any tell-tale signs of bruises and scrapes. Seized by panic, Lucas scrambled to his feet, only to yelp as Claus pushed him back into the ground.

"You can let me go now. Really, you don't need to poke -  _ow!"_  A flash of pain flashed through Lucas's eyes. "Please Claus-"

Catching the wince, Claus tugged down the collar of his brother's shirt. His heart twinged at the angry red skin over his brother's shoulderblades. "...You're hurt."

"It's only a scrape-"

"Only a scrape."

"Just one! See, I'm fine. I can handle things on my own, Claus-"

Claus snorted skeptically. "If you're fine-" He pointed at Lucas's bruised wrist. "Then what's that?"

"...Accident," Lucas said lamely, discreetly shifting his sleeve over his injury.

Ness gave a deep frown. "Lucas, what did Pokey want from you?"

Lucas swallowed hard, averting his eyes from their eyes. There was a pregnant pause; the uncomfortable gravity of what had could have possibly transpired weighed heavily on their minds. "Nothing. Really. Pokey only wanted me to see me beg... and I almost did," he added in an inaudible whisper from shame.

Hot, prickling shame.

"It's not your fault, Lucas. That no-good jerk," Claus muttered, throwing another distasteful scowl into the courtyard. "I can't believe that he was once your childhood friend, Ness-"

Ness winced. "Pokey has... issues."

Claus threw him a terribly unimpressed look. "Uhuh. No kidding."

"No, I mean... nevermind." Ness's gaze turned dark. "Lucas, don't listen to him. You're not a coward, and you're not stupid. You're a better person than Pokey will ever be. Don't let him get to you."

"Ness is right. Talk about being the World's Biggest Loser." Ninten shot Pokey's retreating back a nasty look. "I bet that fatass is just jealous because he has no friends." When Lucas still seemed troubled, Ninten tried to lighten up the mood by changing the subject. "Hey, you guys wanna hang out at my house after school? I need players for Brawl."

Claus rolled his eyes. "You have four gamecube controllers. Play with your sisters."

"My twin sisters don't understand the importance of video games," Ninten sniffed, clearly insulted. When Claus didn't look sold, Ninten upped the ante. "Ugh. If you're going to be so stubborn, Claus, then I'll let you try out my stash of seasonal Oreos. Happy?"

Claus's eyes brimmed with suspicion. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. I'm just a very generous person." Ninten mock-batted his eyes. "Yeah, I know.  _Thank you Ninten_ , _you're so awesome how can we ever repay you?_  Oh you guys, you don't have to bow down to me and my awesomeness-"

"How are you so addicted to that stuff?" Claus asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "I swear, Oreos are like your version of crack-"

"That's right," Ninten said smugly. "They're my G-rated drugs. So are you coming or not?"

"I don't see why not." Claus thew Lucas a questioning look, to which Lucas nodded.

All eyes flew over to Ness, who shrugged in response. "I guess I'll stop by. I've got nothing better to do."

"Great! Now, let's get lunch," Ninten exclaimed, pushing all of them towards an empty cafeteria table. "I'm so starving that I could eat an entire picnic lunch-"

"But you're  _always_  starving-"

"Shut up, Claus."

None of them noticed the lone figure watching them in the courtyard.


	2. Confusion

Podunk Estates was a rich neighborhood. Portly businessmen flaunted their wealth with luxurious bbq parties and perfectly-trimmed hedges. Lush gardens showed off their vivid spring blossoms. Peeking over their grandiose gates, ancient marble fountains of Greek deities stood on their pedestals like the Statue of Liberty. To the ordinary onlooker, one could only imagine being spoiled so silly.

Ninten wasn't one of these ordinary people.

He  _was_  spoiled silly.

"Yep. My house. Cool," Ninten said bemused, taking in his friends' awe-struck expressions for what seemed like the dozenth time. "Can we go inside now?"

"This never gets old, _"_  Claus said, drinking in the sight of the fabulous house.

"It does for me."

Claus punched him in the shoulder. "That's cause you live here."

Rubbing the sore spot, Ninten grimaced and turned his head away. "It's not  _that_  great."

"Are you serious? We should come here more often-"

Ness shuffled his feet. Most of their hangouts had usually taken place at his place. He'd never given it much thought, but suddenly, standing outside Ninten's estate, he couldn't help but feel self-conscious. What must his friends think about his own plain house with its cramped rooms? Forget  _house_. Ninten's mansion dwarfed his home in sheer comparison.

True to his perceptive nature, Lucas caught the motion. "It's bigger than our house too," he added quietly.

Surprisingly enough, Ninten didn't look too thrilled about talking about his own house either. "Ness. Next time, we're meeting up at your place," he muttered, pressing the doorbell. After a eye scan and a robotic  _CONFIRMED_ , the iron gates smoothly slid open.

They trudged their way through the garden. Butterflies of all colors swirled into the wind. Behind a mushroom-shaped shrub, a guard dog importantly perked its ears. A red collar dangled around its neck.

Ninten's face brightened up.  _"Mick!"_  He dropped his bag onto the grass and clapped his hands. "Hey, Mick! Here boy!"

The dog threw him a look.

"Mick! Oh, don't be a sourpuss-"

The dog ran away.

Claus hid a snort behind his hand. "I think he likes you."

"I'll teach him a cool trick one day. You'll see," Ninten said happily. He picked up his bag from the grass and headed to the front stairs. This time, they didn't stop to smell the flowers. Ninten's excitement was infectious as he hurried them to the front door.

"Hey, what's the rush?" Ness said, surprised.

Ninten gave him an innocent smile. "Just want to go home. Dad's not here today." His smile widened, and striding ahead, Ninten spread his arms open as if set free. "My dear dad, the  _defense attorney..._ "

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Two**_ ~

_**Confusion** _

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* * *

If possible, Ninten's mansion was larger in the inside. Giant arches hung over the entrances. A grand fireplace sat in the foyer, empty and clean. A tongue of dark crimson carpet rolled itself over the stairs. Before any of his friends could admire the view, Ninten quickly pushed them in the back and ushered them up the stairs. With the air of being smuggled inside ( _I'm not supposed to invite anyone over unless we're studying,_ Ninten said), they made their way up to the second floor.

In contrast to the cold interior of the mansion, Ninten's room was a funhouse. Untouched books rested on their pristine shelves, showing off their glossy spines. Stuffed penguins littered every corner of space: over the bed, on the carpet, teetering off chairs. A stash of video games proudly scattered itself into a corner.

Slapping the door wide open, Ninten kicked a penguin aside. "Home Sweet Home."

With a soft noise of surprise, Lucas traced the spine of a nearby book. "Is this-"

" _ **The Book Thief.**_ Yeah. Keep it if you want it."

"I can't take this-"

"Take it, borrow it. I don't really care," Ninten yawned, stretching himself into a pile of plushies. "Dad always buys me loads of books that I'll never read. If you want it, then it's better off with you."

"Then I'll browse through it later," Lucas decided, tucking it into his bag as Claus dove into a beanie bag.

"Aren't we here to play Brawl?" Claus added, raising his eyebrows from his comfy plush seat.

At the welcome invitation, Ninten eagerly leaped to his feet to dig into his stash of video games. "Oh yeah! That disk should be somewhere heeere-"

"Master Ken." They all jumped at maid's sudden voice. "Welcome home."

"Seriously, Electra? Why didn't you knock?" Ninten scowled, running towards the doorway to block his room.

"The door was unlocked."

Ninten made an undignified noise in the back of his throat.

The maid's eyes flickered over their uncomfortable faces. "Master Ken, as you know, the Mister is currently out on business. Are you aware of his guest policies?"

"No friends over unless we're studying," Ninten said with a bite of impatience. "I know, I know. We'll do homework afterwards."

A small alarm rang on her watch. The maid clicked it off. "It's time for your medication. Would you like me to bring it from the kitchen-"

"No. Get out," Ninten said rudely.

With a curtsy, the maid left.

Ninten's sudden snappiness wasn't lost on all of them. Lucas shared an uneasy glance with Ness, who shrugged. Claus was the only one who seemed unfazed, keeping a careful eye on his bristling friend.

Sensing their disapproval, Ninten turned around. "What? Did you see how she was acting-"

"Ninten," Claus said.

Ninten's shoulders sagged. "I know," he mumbled.

"It wouldn't have killed you to be a little nice to her," Ness said.

His words must've hit a sensitive spot. Looking down, Ninten shuffled his feet. "Well... I mean..." His eyes suddenly brightened up. He dug into the pile of games, forcing a smile onto his face. "Super Smash Bros! Who wants to play?"

Uncertain, all of them glanced at each other. But Ninten had sounded so cheerful that they decided against bringing the matter up.

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~oO0Oo~

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"I'm worried about Lucas."

At Ness's change of tone, Ninten paused the game. "Is this about lunch today?"

"I can't help it. You've seen his bruises." Ness shifted his eyes to the floor. "Pokey seems pretty dead-set on bullying Lucas-"

Ninten rolled his eyes. "Here we go. For the last time, it's not your fault that he's still such a jerk-"

"-I know, but I can't help but think that it's still my fault," Ness said gloomily.

"You know what they all say. Once a dick, always a dick."

"We're all technically dicks, Ninten."

Sporting a small grin, Ninten unpaused the game. "Touche."

It was just the two of them now. Replacing the book back despite Ninten's insistence to keep it, Lucas had prodded his brother out of his gaming stupor. Catching the time, Claus had instantly leaped to his feet and dragged his brother out. They couldn't miss the bus to Tazmily Village. Ness had forgotten how far away those two lived. He couldn't imagine doing the same. Riding the bus back and forth to Onett sounded like a pain to do every morning.

There was a silence only broken by the jam of gamecube controllers.

Ninten tapped his character into a dash-dance. "But you gotta give Pokey some credit. I mean, who knew that Pokey could hold a grudge against Lucas for this long?"

"Could've fooled me," Ness muttered darkly.

"It's like he's obsessed with you."

"Ninten!"

"What? It's true!" When Ness glared at him, Ninten hastily added, "But like, in a bad way."

"When has obsession ever been a good thing?"

"Hey, look on the bright side," Ninten said, flicking the brim of his own cap up to see the TV better. "If Pokey IS obsessed with you, then Paula would fry him to a crisp if he ever tried to bully you within a ten-meter radius. Problem solved."

Thinking about their avid study sessions, Ness cracked a small smile. "It does sound like something she'd do."

Then with a horrible  ** _pikaaaa!_** _,_  Captain Falcon knocked Pikachu off the Final Destination stage.

"What?!"

"Ooooh-!"

"NO WAY." Ninten sat up, looking appalled. "I was distracted!"

Ness jumped up, jabbing a giddy finger into the screenshot. "Hahaa! You just got owned..." He zoomed in on the irrefutable evidence. "BY THE KNEE OF JUSTICE!"

Resting a hand on his forehead, Ninten slumped backwards in a sulk. "Dang it. I  _knew_  I should've stuck to Sheik-"

Not at all sympathetic, Ness slapped him in the back. "Loser's lurgy. I would've won either way."

"At least it was an  _electrifying_  battle."

"Oh, no."

"This defeat was simply  _shocking-"_

Ness scooted away and groaned, burying his head into his hands. "Why didn't I see this coming?"

With a cocky grin, Ninten elbowed him in the side. "I guess I should  _pika_ better character next time.  _Eeeeeh?"_

"Your Pokemon puns are awful."

"Jealous much?"

"In your dreams, crackhead."

Tossing his head back, Ninten let loose a loud bark of laughter. Ness rolled his eyes and waited for him to goof off topic, but despite the heat of their Brawl, Ninten hadn't forgotten about their previous train of thought.

"Seriously, Ness? Forget about it. If Pokey bullies Lucas again, then Claus would give him some serious shit. Besides," Ninten shuddered. "Didn't you see Claus's death glare today?"

Recalling Claus's infamous  _Fuck You and Your Mom_ scowl, Ness winced. "You don't need to remind me."

"Exactly." Ninten sat upright. "Come to think of it, has Claus always been this crazy over-protective about Lucas?"

Ness's expression turned disgruntled. "You tell me."

"I mean... I dunno, Ness. Kinda makes you wonder what ticked him off in the first place."

An obnoxious toothpaste ad flashed across the TV screen ( _Hippie Toothpaste - it's blinding!_ ).

Then finally flicking off the power button on the screen, Ness poked Ninten in the shoulder. "Let's finish our essays. You said we were supposed to be productive. I'd feel bad for not starting any homework-"

"My dad's not here. No one cares."

"I'm still not lying to Electra," Ness said stubbornly.

Heaving a sigh, Ninten tossed a penguin aside. "Okay, Mr. Goodie-Two-Shoes. Let's get the stupid essay over with."

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~oO0Oo~

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"Is this all we have left in the fridge?"

With a clatter of porcelain, Lucas nodded in affirmative, before setting the clean plates onto the drying rack.

Letting out a garbled groan, Claus buried his head into his hands. "We're low on food. Again. Damn, I knew that I forgot  _something-"_

"It's not your fault," Lucas said softly, drawing out the frying pan and popping it onto the stove. With a sharp crackle, blue flames snapped out of the burner. "I forgot too."

"Yeah, still. When is Gramps stopping by?"

"Around eight."

Claus glanced at the clock. With an exasperated sigh, he let the dollar bills escape from his hands. Their monthly allowance slid onto the counter like scattered leaves.

Hearing him, Lucas turned off the kitchen fan in concern. "Do we have enough money? If we don't, we can let granddad know before he drives in-"

"Nah, you know that dad earns enough. Don't pester gramps unless it's an emergency." Stuffing the allotted bills back into the  **"food and supplies"**  jar, Claus slid the jar back into the proper cabinet. Kicking on his sneakers, Claus rushed off, only stopping to snatch his keys from the tray on the shoe cabinet. "Okay, then you stay here. I'm driving off to the market-"

"It's closed."

Claus skidded to an abrupt halt. With a noisy slam, he smacked his head against the glass window pane. "OW! What the fuh-"

"What happened?!"

"Nothing," Claus grumbled, waving off his brother's alarmed voice. "You just missed me doing an epic face-splat against the door."

Lucas gave a snort of laughter, ducking his head as he chopped the green onions. The blade punched the wooden cutting board in a series of dull, rhythmic thunks. "I figured."

"Yeah, whatever. Laugh all you want, goofball. Mistakes happen." Embarrassed, Claus shifted his eyes to the window. "So why's the market closed today?"

"It's past six. There's a music festival downtown tonight."

In a fluid motion, Claus snapped his fingers. "Right! The festival. Traffic's going to be a pain." With a disappointed sigh, Claus dropped his rattling keys back onto their designated tray. "I guess we'll have to buy breakfast tomorrow on the way to school. Or skimp 'till lunch. Cafeteria's serving Jambalaya -  _w_ _ay_ better than hotdogs in my opinion."

Lucas paused. "Then dad won't have anything to eat," he said quietly.

"So? Lucas, he's got a job. He's an  _adult_. He can go out and buy whatever he likes for himself. We don't have to cook for him all the time." Watching him intently, Claus drew his features into a subtle frown. "And... what are you doing? I thought it was my turn to cook."

"You vacuumed twice last week," Lucas responded, shaking him off. "I'm just making up for my lost chore."

"You had choir practice. That hardly counts!" Claus said indignantly, sliding off his chair. "Besides, I'll be out for solar car towards the end of the semester. Lucas, you  _really_  don't have to make up your chores-"

"A missed chore is still a chore."

The sound of Canola oil snapping and sizzling on the pan filled their ears.

Finally, Claus walked over and pushed him aside. His mutter was barely audible over the oil. "Fine, we'll make him a sandwich or something. I mean... he might not eat it, but that's his problem. Now move over, I want to help you cook."

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~oO0Oo~

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Claus loathed dinner time for several reasons.

It wasn't the food. Perhaps their grandfather was a terrible cook, but Lucas could whip up some pretty delicious omelets in a jiffy. And whenever they got sick of cooking, frozen food every once in a while never killed anyone.

No, it wasn't the food.

Every time Alec stopped by, he always insisted that they all eat at the same time.

"You call ourselves a family?" Alec grumbled, pushing a reluctant Claus into the dining room. "Hah! Family, my old cane. I never saw a  _family_  that didn't spend more than three seconds in the same room except for  _ours_."

Stony-faced, Claus found himself sitting across from his father. Without a single word, he picked at his own omelet. The fork carved a gritty scrape from the porcelain plate.

Reason number two.

After their mother's death, his dad had turned to drinking to cope. Gone was the practical, fun-filled family man, only to be replaced by the pitiful excuse of an alcoholic. Gleaming contents sloshed within their confinements. Messy glasses surrounded Flint in a make-shift barrier from reality.

Drink and work. Drink and work.

It was all the silent man seemed to live for.

Another pop and a hiss. Flint had cracked open another bottle of Shiraz.

Knitting his eyebrows together, Claus scowled into his plate.

Nearby, he registered Alec trying to start off a conversation, and Lucas responding over-enthusiastically to his comments. Lucas shot him a few side-glances, but reluctantly stopped when Claus showed no signs of wanting to speak. With the absence of both his father and brother from the conversation, Lucas's weak efforts to talk dwindled and died, leaving pained silence to stew in the dining hall.

Flint's omelet sat untouched on his plate.

Everyone noticed it, but no one dared to point it out. Flint might as well have been an estranged stranger.

Finally, Alec rose to his feet, brushing away all the unopened caskets of alcohol into an empty crate. "Flint, I think you've had enough to drink. Eat. Get some food into tha' stomach."

Talking to Flint nowadays was akin to walking on broken glass. Alec was taking a gamble, and they knew it. Ninety percent of the time, Flint seemed hard of hearing.

Ten percent of the time, things spiraled downhill.

But Flint gave no note of Alec's words, opting to grope for the now-empty bottle with the shake of his head. Eyes downcast in his hat, Flint swung the bottle around, unevenly shaking its almost nonexistent contents with a slosh - an eerie sound that raised the hair on their arms.

"It's empty," was all he said. Curling his fingers around the bottleneck, Flint gripped it tightly. His knuckles turned white. "All empty inside."

Claus stiffened up in his seat.

Not knowing what to do, Lucas slid Flint's plate closer with timid fingertips. The full plate clinked in contact with another empty bottle. "Dad..."

Flint said nothing, reaching for another bottle with a ragged breath. The bitter tang of alcohol wafted into their noses.

Realizing that their words weren't reaching the drunken man, Alec turned to face his grandsons. Their expressions tore at his weather-beaten heart: Lucas watched Flint drink in a quiet sort of melancholy while Claus had hardened his expression into a simmering glower.

"Don't mind him, boys," Alec said, trying to remain upbeat. "Your father seems to have had too much to drink tonight! Now, stop the worrying. Let's eat before the food gets cold-"

"It's already gone cold _,_ " Claus snapped. His voice dripped with barely-disguised disgust. "What's the point, gramps? He's not going to eat. He's already wasted."

Flint snapped his head towards him.

"Claus..." Lucas warned, wary eyes fixed on his dad.

Ignoring Alec's shocked squawk, Claus jumped to his feet. "We made dinner for you... and this is the sorry thanks we get." His voice broke in barely-contained rage. "Lucas spent an ENTIRE HOUR slaving over the stove just because YOU were too stubborn not to eat-"

 _"Sit down, Claus,"_  Lucas whispered, looking frightened. He tried to tug his twin back into his seat. "Dad, it's okay! I messed up. I'm sorry, I knew I shouldn't have cooked omelets twice in a row-"

"NO!" Claus shrieked, twisting his arm out of his brother's grip and jabbing a finger towards the motionless figure at the table. "I've had it with you treating us like we don't exist. So stop acting like you're the only one who understands. Because you're not! You're not the only one who lost her!  _WE ALL DID!"_

Silence followed his forbidden tirade.

For several teetering seconds, the man stared hard at his oldest son.

Then the taut string snapped. Flint bashed his empty wine bottle against the table. With a sickening crunch, the wood groaned and gave way, snapping into two from the force of the blow. Sharp pieces of glass rained down on them like hail, and Claus instinctively lifted his arms to shield his eyes.

Breathing hard, Flint rose, withering him with his bulky height. His dark brown eyes looked unnerving in the dim light. "Never take that tone with me." His voice lowered itself into a dangerous tone. "Understand?"

Terrified by his dad's sudden change in demeanor, all the blood had drained out of Claus's face. Claus had clearly bitten off more than he could chew. "Yes, sir."

Almost as abruptly as it had occurred, Flint stalked out without another word, yanking his hat off its hook. The resulting slam shook the house to its foundations, its wooden walls sprinkling them with a shower of sawdust.

"You fool!" Alec cried, and Claus flinched. Their grandfather's face was pale in comparison to his yellowed, gritted teeth. "Claus, that's enough. Take out the trash! Lucas, help me find your father. Someone needs to bring him home."

Tugging on his sheep-wool coat, Alec wiped his grimy glasses once, then marched out the door, muttering choice phrases under his breath.

Fuming from the injustice of it all, Claus looked far from finished. He opened his mouth, ready to continue his unfinished rant, but Lucas squeezed his hand hard.

Annoyed, Claus flitted his eyes towards his twin, but froze, watching a tear of crimson ooze out of the shallow cut; a flying piece of glass must have caught Lucas in the cheek. It was a small cut, barely a centimeter deep, but rekindled with violent fury, Claus turned around, ready to confront his dad - and perhaps beat the sense into him,  _because DAMN the consequences -_ when Lucas shook his head, tugging on his arm. His blue eyes were painstakingly sad, but the meaning behind Lucas's unspoken words were clear.

**Not now.**

Biting back his bitter words, Claus turned away, allowing Lucas to steer him out. There was a pause as Lucas clicked the lights off, then the shadow of the night swallowed them up.

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~oO0Oo~

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Flint had shattered two plates.

Two of  _Mom's_  plates.

Seething with fury, Claus dumped the trashbags into the dustbins, then doubled back home. He  _knew_  they should've used the disposable ones, but Lucas had insisted that using mom's plates would've cheered dad up.

Fat load of good that had done.

A silhouette blocked his path, and Claus halted in his tracks. The two stiffly locked eyes.

"Your brother found your old man in the woods. He's settling him down to bed." Alec's voice brimmed with disapproval. He had the look again, the **_young man, you are in big trouble_**  look. "Your old man works himself to the bone to bring in the money for you. You know that."

"That's great."

"I'm disappointed in you."

"He asked for it-"

"You should've known better than to provoke him."

While arguments between Claus and Flint were far from rare, none of them was pleasant to witness. The father-son bond had all but died, burnt up into crisp by the fires of hatred and neglect. As loose as it was, Lucas was the only thread linking the two together. Even so, it was a miracle, in Alec's opinion, that neither opposing party had completely snapped.

Alec shook his head, then cleared his throat with a dry cough. "Chin up, sonny. Today wasn't an erm, total disaster. Try to get along with your old man the best you can, even when he's being difficult.  _Especially_ when he's being difficult."

"He's always being difficult," Claus muttered, clenching his fists. "Why do I have to put up with him?"

"Because he's your father."

"Was. Not anymore." Claus drew in a shaky breath. "I hate him, gramps."

"Don't say that. Hate is a strong word. It shouldn't be used so lightly."

"I hate him."

"Do you think that you're acting like the perfect role model?" Alec voiced sharply, and thoroughly chastised, Claus recoiled, dropping his eyes in shame. Realizing that he had been a little too harsh, Alec's gaze softened. "If you can't do it for yourself, then at least keep the peace for your brother. For Lucas's sake."

After a momentous pause of thought, Claus raised his head. "Right," he muttered. His words sounded extremely bitter. "I'll try."

Alec's eyes flickered to the worn, steel-studded watch on his own arm. "I checked the fridge. Lucas told me that you're low on food. I'll bring groceries back early in the morning. The usual time." Alec's eyes held a silent warning. "Don't disturb your old man."

Claus said nothing.

Feeling his own throat close up, Alec watched his protege's sagging form.

_No child deserves an absent mother._

_No child deserves this fate._

The passing years had dulled the pain of loss, but the throbbing heart-ache remained.

_My daughter... My poor, sweet Hinawa..._

Alec couldn't endure the tight feeling in his chest any longer. Even LOOKING at his grandsons triggered the bad memories.

He had to leave.

Trying not to break out into a dead sprint, Alec hobbled over to his car. He had a house. A refuge. A safe haven he could run to and call  _home_.

Lucas and Claus didn't have any of those things. The twins couldn't run away like he could -  _W_ _here would they go?_  They were trapped.

Trying to force down his guilt, the old man revved up the engine and peeled away from the driveway. A sputter of exhaust. A blink of a headlight. Then Alec had all but vanished into the freeway.

Claus's haunting stare bore through his skull the entire trip home.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

"Dad, I'm sorry about dinner earlier. Claus is sorry too."

"..."

"The table's broken, but w-we can always buy a new one..."

"..."

"I know that you didn't mean it."

"..."

"Goodnight, dad."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

"Claus...?"

Knocking once, Lucas risked a peek inside their shared bedroom.

Claus made no effort to respond. Arms crossed behind his head, he lay sprawled on his side, staring up at the ceiling.

Lucas paused, eyeing him in concern. It couldn't have been a comfortable position. Thick, corded knots jutted out of Claus's shoulders, trembling from the exertion of staying fixedly in place.

With careful hands, Lucas shut the door. Soft socks dragged along the carpet, nuzzling the snug floor before lifting themselves into his brother's bed. The mattress dipped with a creak as Lucas crouched, sinking into the pillows beside him.

Realizing that he was still scowling, Claus forced a smile onto his face. "Hey. How's your face?"

"It's just a scratch," Lucas said softly, lifting a finger to feel the barely-noticeable scab. "I almost forgot it was there."

A pause, then the mattress dipped deeper as Claus shifted his weight. "...Here?"

A shivery-soft sensation tickled his cheek. Lucas corrected him, gently guiding the hand lower. "Here."

An unreadable expression entered Claus's eyes. He quietly withdrew, flickering his eyes down to the sheets. "Sorry about dinner."

Lucas took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry."

Claus cricked his neck in surprise. "What the hell are you saying sorry for?" he exclaimed, ruefully rubbing his sore neck. "It's not  _your_  fault that I lit the fuse!"

"I should stand up for you," Lucas said quietly. "You have no idea how much I want to, Claus. I really do."

Claus shrugged, tearing his eyes away from their vigil of the ceiling. "Forget about it. I don't want you getting caught up in our feud." The bitterness was back, seeping into his voice. "I still don't know why you call that drunkard our dad. Because he's not."

Lucas swallowed hard. "Claus..."

"No."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Gramps is bringing in groceries," Claus said abruptly. "He'll be back in the morning."

"I saw you two talking outside," Lucas caught on, changing the subject. Suddenly seized by a stray thought, he panicked, bolting upright on the bed. "Oh no! Did he ground you? Are you in trouble? Gah, I should've-"

"Quit worrying, goofball," Claus interrupted, rolling his eyes. "I'm not in trouble."

Lucas blinked. "You're not?"

"I don't always cause trouble!"

"That's a first," Lucas agreed, lazily stretching his arms out like a cat. Lanky legs sprawled over his brother's back, and with a scowl, Claus smacked them aside.

Looking up, Lucas cracked a sleepy grin. "Hothead."

"That's it." Annoyed, Claus shoved a hand into his brother's laughing face. "Get off my bed."

"Why?"

"Because." Claus socked him in the shoulder.  _"That's_  why."

"Ow..." Lucas whined, rubbing his arm.

"You're such a baby."

"Am not-"

"Yeah, you are," Claus smirked, poking his cheek. " _Baby-face_."

"I'm not a baby," Lucas protested, a flustered blush starting to creep down his neck.

To his own chagrin, Claus clutched his ribs, bursting out into loud laughter, and in retaliation, Lucas smacked him in the face with a pillow.

Claus sputtered, spitting out feathers from his mouth. "W-What was that for?"

"Serves you right for laughing at me," Lucas said seriously, even though the corners of his lips were threatening to quirk upwards.

Claus shot him a wicked grin, then crawled closer on all fours. "Oh? Well, sucker, two can play that game."

The sudden change in demeanor wiped the smile off Lucas's face. "Uh, Claus?" Lucas eyed him nervously, scooting backwards to the edge of the mattress. "Why are you grinning like that? And... why are you creeping closer?" Lucas blanched, then scrambled away on his knees. "Oh no! Oh no, no, no, no -  _Auuugh!"_

Springing onto his haunches, Claus tackled his younger brother off the bed.

With a thump, two bodies rolled onto the carpeted floor, and seized by a wicked streak, Claus lunged in for the kill. "Tickle fight!"

"AHhh! S-Stoppit, no, don't-ahaha," Lucas shrieked with laughter as Claus attacked his ticklish sides, then collapsed limply in defeat. "Okay, okay, you win! I'm sorry. I'll stop teasing you."

"I thought so." Claus eyed Lucas's quivering stomach in amusement, then poked it. Lucas let out a choked squeak, and Claus looked up with a fat grin on his face. "That's right, Mr. Tickles. You can't win against me."

Flustering, Lucas shoved Claus's face away. "You're the worst. Get off," he complained.

Deciding that he'd tormented his little brother long enough, Claus pushed himself off. But just as he did, Claus caught the rueful whisper of  _hothead_  under Lucas's breath.

Any pity for his brother evaporated. With a positively evil glint in his eye, Claus turned back around. "Watchu say?"

"Nothing, nothi- Claus? AHH! Get your hands off my feet! NoooOO!"

.

.

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~oO0Oo~

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.

.

A rooster's proud call cut through the light of sunrise.

Tugging out the keys from the ignition, an exhausted Alec slid out of the driver's seat as soon as the hum of the engine died. He frowned at the lack of light in the first floor; the boys should've been up by now. Bewildered by the unusual silence, Alec dragged in his grocery bags, greeting the happy kitchen tiles with a loud rustle of plastic.

But the kitchen was empty.

Tightly gripping his wooden cane with wrinkled fingers, the old man trudged upstairs to check on his two grandsons. With each step, his trepidation rose like a wave, threatening to break his character, but Alec never faltered; in no time, he had arrived on the landing of the second floor. Gently, the old man turned the door knob of the bedroom by a tiny sliver.

One bed was neglected, its sheets messy and creased.

However, the same couldn't be said for the other.

A snoring Claus was sleeping soundly into a pillow, one arm draped protectively over his snoozing twin brother.

Alec quietly shut the door.

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~oO0Oo~

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.

"Last night, I dreamed it was snowing. I think there was even a campfire..."

Claus snorted, not tearing his eyes away from the window. "Well, that's informative."

Catching his tone, Lucas meekly peered up at him. "Sorry about the alarm."

"Yeah, no kidding." Catching the look on his brother's face, Claus's expression softened. "Don't worry, it happens. I've set the alarm for PM instead of AM loads of times before."

"No wonder we missed the bus. Thanks for picking us up, Duster."

His music mentor shrugged his shoulders, as good-natured and gentle as ever. "Not a problem. We all oversleep every now and then," he said kindly, peering at them through the back-view mirror. "Lucas, since we have practice today, I'll pick you up after school. You too, Claus."

Claus perked up in his seat. "Is DCMC hosting a recital at Fourside soon? Oh boy!" he said excitedly before covering his mouth with a not-so-subtle cough. "I mean, I'll go if I'm not too busy then..."

Hiding a grin, Lucas nodded, rummaging through his bag. "I think I left the tickets at home, but in case I forget, you could always pass for me."

"Yeah, I probably could." Claus glanced at his watch, then relaxed in relief. "Duster, you're the man. Thanks to you, we should arrive at school on tim- _OH NO, HE DIDN'T! Move,_  you asshole," Claus suddenly swore, making Lucas jump in his seat when the car jolted to a halt. Upon closer inspection, Lucas realized that Claus had not been talking to him, but to the driver in the front vehicle; the potential collision could've crushed the hood of their car if Duster hadn't braked on time. "Damn. What's with these drivers? I hate it when they don't signal a turn!"

Lucas warily peered between his fingers at the windshield. "You need to work on your road rage."

"No, I don't." Completely sold on his own conviction, Claus huffed in annoyance, crossing his arms. "I swear, these drivers are going to kill someone one day. Duster, your amazing reflexes saved our heads."

"I don't know about that." Amused by the twins' antics, Duster allowed himself a small chuckle, swerving the car into a free lane out of the highway. "I guess two weeks of Driving School finally paid off. Everyone all right back there?"

From behind came two murmurs of assent. After a mad scramble for their bags, which had slid off their seats in the fray, Lucas stared out the window, watching his reflection through side-wing mirror. "Claus, do you believe in dreams?"

"What's with all the weird questions today?" Claus asked with a frown.

A sheepish expression on his face, Lucas shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"You are  _so_  weird." Claus said, but he grinned, throwing his younger brother a knowing side-glance. "I bet you're rambling because you're hungry."

"I guess I am."

Digging into the pocket of his jacket, Claus dragged out a battered pack of trail mix. "Go nuts. Literally."

Lucas's eyes lit up at the sight of food, and without second thought, hands eagerly ripped off the plastic wrapper. Claus tapped him on the arm.

"Leave some for me too, you dork. I'm starving."

His younger brother flashed him a small smile, shy yet happy, and Claus rolled his eyes.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

Ness didn't consider himself a morning person. Rather, far from it.

But the next morning, Ness found a zombie in the school courtyard.

A zombie by the name of  _Claus._

Oddly enough, early rise-and-shine Claus took his grumpiness to an entirely new level. "I hate mornings," Claus grouched, stepping out of the car. Lucas was looking the other way, trying not to laugh at Claus's disgruntled expression.

"Really? So do I!" Ninten said excitedly, unwisely in the mood to push Claus's buttons. "Wow, we have so many similarities in common."

"Go away, Ninten," Claus snapped. Ninten tossed an arm around his shoulders.

"Smile. A smile a day keeps the doctor away. Like this." Ninten flashed a smile.

"Your smile makes me want to puke."

"Your face makes me want to puke."

"That wasn't even a creative comeback."

Ninten's face fell. "Eww... you just reminded me of our Creative Writing assignment. I didn't know what to write for the essay, so I ended up half-assing it last night. Ness finished his before he left though."

"What? The ' _Write about someone or something who influenced you'_  essay?" Ness asked in disbelief. "It wasn't that bad. I honestly expected something worse."

Claus shook his head. "For once, I have to side with Ninten. This prompt was a real pain."

"THANK YOU."

As if to negate the good vibes, Claus swatted Ninten in the arm. "That doesn't mean I agree with everything you say, you nincompoop."

"Jerk."

Claus rolled his eyes before throwing Ness a look. "Okay, Mister Smarty-Pants. If you didn't think that the assignment was  _that bad_ , then what did you write about?"

"My dad," Ness said defensively, as if expecting them to poke fun at him. In an unspoken consensus, the other three didn't question it. Ness rarely brought the divorce up, but they knew how crushed he was over his mom's strained relationship with his dad. "I mean, he's not there anymore, but... he-"

"I think that's a good topic," Lucas interrupted smoothly, and at his words, Ness relaxed. The tension passed.

Ness exhaled. "Thanks, Lucas. What did you write about?"

Curiously enough, Lucas turned away. His cheeks burned a faint shade of pink. "...I'd rather not say."

Surprised by his sudden reluctance, Claus raised an eyebrow. "That's right. You wouldn't let me read your essay yesterday. Is it about something we know?"

"Or  _someone._  It's a person, right? I bet it's on someone embarrassing," Ninten laughed, punching Lucas on the shoulder. "Hey, it honestly can't be as bad as you make it. Just tell us who it's on!"

"It's just an essay. Don't worry about it," Lucas mumbled, cheeks aflame.

Ninten gave Claus a shit-eating grin. "Bet ten bucks it's about a girl."

Claus smirked back. "Make that twenty." He swiped at the paper in Lucas's hands. "Okay you, hand it over!"

"No!"

"Lemme see-"

"S-Stop it! It's not funny," Lucas stammered, clutching the paper to his chest. His palms grew sweaty. "It's not about a girl!"

Claus only laughed. "Whatever you say."

Lucas looked upset, so Ness quickly cut to the chase before Claus could play grabby-grabby with the essay again. "It's a shame that  _you_  can't say the same, Ninten."

"Huh?" Ninten stopped laughing. "What d'you mean?"

Ness spared him a wide grin. "Your essay's on Ana, right?"

Doubling over, Ninten almost did a spit-take, now finding the tables turned against him. "Wh... What makes you think that  _I'd_  write about a  _girl-"_

Ness pointed at his lopsided, half-open bag. "Isn't that your paper?"

Upon catching sight of the unzipped pocket, Ninten turned a delicious shade of crimson. He stuffed the report out of view, then zipped his satchel shut. "...no."

" _Busted!"_

"Shut up, Claus! I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"OoOh, Ninten has a big fat fucking cru-"

"I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH!"

Luckily, the bell chose that moment to ring, and like a drowning man, Ninten seized his chance for a saving grace. Tugging blindly at the collar of his shirt, Ninten marched off in a dignified manner, trying to escape from his friends' bright laughter.

What a promising start to a pleasant day.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

"Is this guy for real?" Ninten whispered, trying not to laugh. "He looks like Hitler."

"With a gray toothbrush mustache," Claus said dryly.

"Listen up, kids! My name is Coach Strong, your  _new_  Physical Ed teacher," the muscular teacher barked. "Unlike your old sub _,_  I take Physical education VERY SERIOUSLY."

Ninten pointed in amusement. "Look, he's wearing sunglasses indoors. Vintage too."

Claus squinted. "How can you tell?"

"Trust me. I just can."

It was clear that neither of them had any love for their newfound "teacher."

A shrill beep of the whistle startled the two into silence. Coach Strong was glaring down at them, a blotchy beet-purple in the face.

"HEY, YOU KNUCKLEHEADS IN THE BACK," he bellowed, jabbing a finger at them. "PAY ATTENTION, OR I'LL MAKE YOU RUN TWENTY LAPS AROUND THE TRACK. IT'S A HUGE CRIME NOT TO LISTEN WHEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE TALKING!"

Caught red-handed in the act, both boys flushed in embarrassment. A round of amused titters washed over the entire class.

Coach Strong grunted. "You all have a copy of the syllabus. You know the drill. Our first unit will be on volleyball next week. But-" He swept an arm across the windows of the gym. "-this week is FREE STYLE. We have basketball and tennis courts behind the school, so you knuckleheads better stay outside until dismissal."

The entire class groaned, but the coach ignored them, giving each student the stinkeye. "And don't think I don't know about you  _stragglers_  who sit your lazy buttocks on the bleachers texting 24/7. I've had a few cases where some desperate truants try to end school early by climbing over the school fence. My advice? DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT," he suddenly roared, making them all jump.

All of them shriveled under his fierce glare.

"HAH, I THOUGHT SO. Teenage punks. Don't think you can pass by slacking off in  _my_  class. Now, chop chop. Everybody outside!"

At his words, alarmed students scattered like fleeing marbles. Marching away, the coach stowed his whistle into his pocket and grumbled, "Teenage punks, too unpredictable these days. Society needs to keep a vigilant eye on them. At times like this, kids these days should be playing Nintendo games-"

"Hey," Ness called out across the field, cupping his hands. "Who's up for a game of baseball?"

Like a dog trained for the word,  _baseball_ , Ninten perked up. "I call first bat!"

"I call no bat."

Ninten snorted, shoving Claus in the shoulder. "Lazy, lazy. You want a zero in participation?"

"What, that douche isn't even  _watching_  us-"

"Don't you see him glaring at us from the blinds?"

Ness watched the pair of eyes glowering at them from the office window, and grimaced. "Okay, that's kind of creepy. I can't believe that he used to be the old police chief."

"Our school is jank. What do you expect, I bet half of our teachers have done something illegal and served parole," Claus sighed, giving in. "But I guess it couldn't hurt to do something productive..."

Ninten beamed at him. "I knew you'd pull through,  _CLOUDS-"_

"You need to stop that habit of butchering my name," Claus grumbled back. Ninten stuck his tongue out, then turned to the side.

"Lucas, please say you're coming too," Ninten begged. "If you go, then Claus might actually put in some effort-"

To their surprise, Lucas shook his head. "I feel a little worn out," he admitted, stifling a yawn. "No thanks, Ninten. Maybe next time."

"Are you sure you're fine?" Claus interrupted with a hint of concern. Upon closer glance, his brother did seem a shade paler than usual. Come to think of it, a light sheen of sweat covered Lucas's brow, and Claus didn't recall him doing any sort of physical activity at all...

But catching the look, Lucas gave him a smile. "Yeah, I'll be fine! I'm just going to take a quick rest before heading off to the basketball court. Go play, Claus," he encouraged, sitting down underneath the oak tree. "Ninten's waiting."

Claus hesitated, shuffling backwards. "Well, if you say so..."

"Come on, Claus," Ninten crowed, dragging him away. "You heard what Lucas said!"

Locking eyes with his younger twin a final time, Claus reluctantly let Ninten drag him off to the baseball field. Lucas threw him a final reassuring glance as he left, watching in amusement as Claus and Ninten began to bicker again.

("Why are you never nice to me?"

"Lucas is my twin. You, on the other hand, are an obnoxious idiot."

"AM NOT."

"Then stop whining in my ear, idiot."

"Doodoo brain."

"Better go choose your team. You wouldn't want to be late for your  _highschool sweetheart-")_

The faint sound of wind tickling his ears, Lucas inhaled; the cool afternoon gust didn't carry the same fresh air from Tazmily's hills, but Lucas was pleased when he  _thought_  recognized a hint of the same invigorating sensation there. In fascination, he watched a blue butterfly flit over the fence to tilt its ornate wings, flashing them proudly in the tall grass. Funny enough, it looked like it was sparkling in the sun.

The butterfly made Lucas feel relax.

Then a strange sensation overcame him.

Lucas snapped his eyes open. There was no denying it. He definitely had a fever.

But something about this fever felt different. He couldn't explain how, or why, but whatever it was, Lucas began to feel terribly hot, sweating bullets as if someone had stuck a melting furnace into his heart. Miserably, he tested his forehead with a hand, only to feel it burning profusely. He'd felt odd ever since eating Claus's trail mix... perhaps he'd gotten food poisoning.

Black spots popped into his vision, burning and blending colors together in a disorienting spiral, and Lucas almost toppled over.

Water. He had to hydrate himself.

Pushing himself off the ground, Lucas shuffled away on unsteady feet. Pausing every so often and waiting for the dark spots to escape from his vision, Lucas blindly felt his way to the nearest water fountain.

He'd just dragged himself into the empty boy's locker room when a pair of voices made him halt in his tracks.

"-works at Club Titiboo. She's an orphan, a stick that nobody loves. I hear that she fights with her adopted parents every day."

Blinking, Lucas swayed on his feet as blobs of color danced across his vision again. In his disorientation, he accidentally knocked aside a stray soda can. With a loud clatter, the can skittered across the floor.

The whispers stopped.

A chill crawled down his spine.

Suddenly self-conscious, Lucas tried to brush off the unsettling notion that he was being watched. Somehow, he had the feeling that both speakers were angry.

Being blind was terrifying.

Hoping that he hadn't interrupted anything important, he groped around, patting down the lockers for guidance. "Water...," he muttered, swinging his head around. Roaming his hands over the wall, one of his hands successfully snagged the faucet of the water fountain. Trying to make it quick, Lucas dragged himself over to slake his thirst. Much to Lucas's relief, his hearing and vision slowly began to flicker back, easing into focus.

With a curt noise, a pair of shoes made their retreat. The door to the changing rooms swung open and shut.

Another pair of sneakers, however, squeaked louder, coming his way.

A large shadow dropped over him, blocking out the sunlight streaming through the windows, and startled, Lucas jerked away from the water fountain, his vision clearing up completely.

Looking none-too-pleased, Pokey flicked a dot of dust off his own shirt with a hiss. "What're you doing here?" Lucas involuntarily stepped back, and Pokey took a step closer. "Hogging the water fountain to yourself? On a hot day? That's pretty rude of you." Pokey gripped him by the shoulder, stopping him from retreating. "Where are you going? Fucking answer me when I'm talking to you, runt. Having fun nosing around in my business?"

Not knowing how to respond, Lucas swallowed and dropped his eyes to the floor.

"You looked pretty dehydrated there... Lucas!" Porky continued, though his eyes had turned hard. "You were walking in like you were all blind and deaf. Do you feel better now? Because I know how to make you feel better."

His grip on Lucas's shoulder tightened.

Not good.

Lucas weighed his chances. Porky was brutal, but Porky was slow. Normally, Lucas's escape plans all revolved around  _running-the-heck-outta-there,_  but the changing rooms provided scant shelter, and his migraine was growing worse. Porky could easily corner him here and pick him off. Lucas didn't need to see more stars in his vision.

Fighting back was even laughable. Maybe if Lucas moved fast enough... got a quick moment of surprise... he could throw in a punch or two, but then what? Lucas winced. Porky would dish out twice as much to beat him down, Claus might notice the bruises and intervene, Claus might get into big trouble, and yes, on second thought, Lucas would rather not go down that path.

In an unnerving change of expression, Porky's voice suddenly eased up, as if he was listening to an invisible ear piece. "You know... you came here at the right time. I'm getting pretty damn sick of this game. Bullying you, I mean," he said slowly. "Let's play a game."

Lucas didn't like the look on his face. He chose his words carefully. Stall him. "A game?"

"Yeah, we're gonna play..." Porky frowned in thought. "...dodgeball. Yeah, dodgeball. Outside."

A painful heat suddenly searing his mind, Lucas grimaced, shaking his head to clear the buzzing in his ears. He was starting to feel weak and feverish; the persisting symptoms worried him considerably.

Misinterpreting the gesture, Pokey slammed a fist into his hand. "You got a problem with that, runt?"

Lucas paled. "Dodgeball sounds good."

Pokey grinned. The light caught his teeth in an unpleasant gleam. "You sure? Because I'm happy with giving you the old  _one-two_ until you forget what happened here-" Lucas quickly shook his head with a vigor that he didn't feel. Pokey's face brightened up, further weakening Lucas's resolve, and the bigger boy guffawed, clapping a hand on Lucas's shoulder. "I thought so! I'm always right. Now, you grab the dodge ball, and I'll wait for you outside. Oh, and if you tell anyone what you heard here-" Pokey's hand squeezed him once in the shoulder until it  _hurt,_  before Pokey shoved him free into the nearest locker. "Got it?" Without waiting on a response, Pokey roughly brushed past him. "See you later... runt."

Dread sinking in the pit of his stomach, Lucas slumped over in defeat, then trudged over to the plastic ball crates.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Home run!"

"Lies! Claus tagged you out at home."

"No, he didn't!" Ness pinched his fingers together with a grin. "He was  _this_  close when my toe touched the base-"

Ninten pointed at the base in indignation. "Cheater! We caught the ball  _before_  you swiped home-"

"Really? Sounds more like a case of sour grapes to me."

"Oh yeah? Fine. Claus, tell him where he can stick his sour grapes-"

"-in the fridge."

"Claus. This is a matter of DIGNITY OR DEATH."

Claus tossed the ball back into his mitt. "Fine. Ness is safe."

Instantaneously, everyone on Ness's team broke into a noisy cheer, drumming their feet into the dirt, while yelling and hooting it up in glee.

Ninten wasn't amused.

"You had one job," Ninten hissed, glaring daggers at his friend. "ONE JOB. And you failed  _miserably."_

"It's only one inning," Claus complained.

"Only one inning?" Ninten emphasized, waving his arms. " _ONLY_  ONE INNING?"

"Hey it's okay," Ness said, returning to the pitch. His windswept face stayed flushed from excitement. "We're gonna beat your team to the groun- wait, what's that sound?"

All three boys turned around at the incoming shrill wail - an ambulance had parked itself onto the side of the school. Bystanders rushed over to the fence in droves, panicking over something nobody on the baseball field could see. Several other classmates dropped whatever was in their hands, before curiously flocking over to the scene of panic.

Ninten squinted. "Huh. An ambulance. Think it's another fire drill?"

"No way, I see paramedics stepping out." Ness frowned. "Can't be a drill."

"Did someone catch heat stroke?"

"At this wind chill? I doubt it."

"Heart attack?"

By now, a sizable crowd of students had gathered around the fence. A few were even attempting to  _climb_  over the fence for whatever reason, and even from afar, they spotted a few paramedics warding them back over with loud voices of rebuke.

A cold shiver of dread crept up Claus's skin.

"Asthma attack sounds more likely," Ness continued, oblivious to his friend's growing trepidation. "Hey Claus, what do you thin-"

In a jolt of movement, as if realizing that his legs could move, Claus sprinted off. Ignoring their cries, he dove headfirst into the crowd of chaos. Without hesitation, the other two followed suit, with Ninten coughing as he waded through the mass of panicked students.

Snatches of the babble flew into their ears.

"I can't believe this happened during class-"

"This is awful. No, this is _terrible-"_

"Did you see him?"

"Is he okay?"

"...Lucas?" What felt like a strange terror crept into Claus's voice. There was still no sign of a smiling face, nor any sign of a blond cowlick. Undeterred, Claus scanned the faces of the crowd, trying to search for his brother.

Out of breath, Ness and Ninten managed to pull up beside him.

"Claus, if you're looking for Lucas, I'm sure he's fine. He's probably off on the side somewhere," Ninten reassured him, but Claus continued to shove his way through the mob.

Their search was quickly cut short by a familiar face.

"Claus," Fuel cried, his eyes dawning in horror. "Holy crap, what are  _you_  doing here?"

"What do you mean,  _What am I doing here_? I'm in your class, dimwit," Claus snapped. Craning his neck over the crowd, Claus tried to sidestep him, but to his immense annoyance, Fuel blocked his path with outstretched arms.

"You should turn back."

"What the HELL, Fuel."

"Wait in the nurse's office. I'll tell you everything later," Fuel rushed, stealing a glance at the road behind him. His voice turned shaky. "Trust me, I don't think you should see this... H-He's-"

Claus shoved the stuttering boy aside.

The first color his eyes met was red. Sticky red blood splattered the road, staining the concrete into a grotesque painting. Nearby, jagged glass from a dented car windshield gleamed like serrated teeth, sparkling innocuously across the grass like forgotten gems.

Then Claus's eyes dropped to the prone figure on the ground.

And froze.

Panting from exertion, Ninten fought his way to his side. "What's up with Fuel? I mean, from the way he was talking, it sounded like someone was-" A sharp intake of breath cut his words off - Ninten had finally seen what everyone else had been looking at. "...Oh."

Claus couldn't move.

This was a dream.

No, this  _had_  to be a dream, because there was no way that Lucas was... That Lucas was...

_Tears coated Hinawa's half-open eyes like snowflakes, her last words lingering on her lips._

_Blood trickled down Lucas's face, his blue eyes blank and unknowing._

"No... Lucas.  _LUCAS!"_  With a shriek, Claus lunged over to scale the tall fence, dropping to the ground on the other side. Stumbling to his brother's side, Claus collapsed onto his knees and shook his brother by the shoulders. Lucas's head lolled to the side. "Hey, this isn't funny. Get up, p-p-please-"

A pair of boots crunched into the concrete behind him. "Step aside," the medic's annoyed voice cut into his ears. When Claus refused to cooperate, numbly staring at his brother's blood in his hands, the paramedic rudely shoved him aside and barked off several commands in rapid succession. "Take him away on the gurney. He's still breathing, but there's substantial blood loss. Stabilize his C-spine-"

As the crew carried the limp body away on a stretcher, Claus snapped out of his reverie. He leaped to his feet, scrambling forward with outstretched arms.

The medic cut into his path. "No, not you," he said plainly. "You're too young to ride in the ambulance-"

"NO," Claus bellowed, trying to duck under the medic's arms.

Someone caught him by the wrist. "Keep it together. Lucas, isn't... he's-" Ness fumbled for words like he wasn't quite taking in the situation yet. Lost for words, Ninten stood still, gaping at the scene in shock.

"They're taking him away! I need to... to follow them. You don't fucking understand, Lucas doesn't like... Lucas doesn't like needles -  _Fucking let go of me, Ness!_ LUCAS!" Claus began kicking and screaming at the top of his lungs as if his unconscious twin could hear his tortured cries, because Lucas was going farther and farther away... With a renewed burst of adrenaline, Claus lashed out with his shoes and elbows until he wrenched himself free, and in an instant, he was off, chasing after the ambulance-

He had to make sure that Lucas wasn't scared...

Lucas didn't like needles...

But the ambulance, the ambulance was too far...

Blaring its horn, the ambulance turned the corner. The wailing of the siren faded. Shoulders sagging, Claus slowed to a stop at the end of the block. Watching the horizon with blank eyes, Claus let his arms fall limp at his sides.

"Lucas..."

_This can't be happening to me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -After assessing for scene safety, paramedics first check the victim for the CABCDE^2 (as of 2018): Circulation, Airway, Breathing, C-Spine, Disability, Exposure, and Environment. While some ambulances don't allow underage children to hop on-board, parents are often allowed.
> 
> -"Knee of Justice": a term that most Captain Falcon mains are familiar with :)


	3. Somewhere, Someday

**"All teachers will monitor all students at all times. Teachers are accountable for their students during class. Students will not be allowed out of class without a hall pass. Following the rules is essential for preventing avoidable tragedy..."**

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~ _ **Chapter Three**_ ~

_**Somewhere, Someday** _

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By the next morning, everyone knew of the car accident.

Claus's absence in school didn't go unnoticed. When teachers scrolled down to his name for roll call, their expressions had shifted to looks of immense pity. According to the grapevine, the school nurse, a kind woman named Miss Tessie, had burst into tears at the news. Even Miss Marshmallow, the stoic Creative English teacher, had reacted to Claus's absence. Both Ninten and Ness noticed how her lips seemed to purse into a thin line. Without giving another word, she'd jotted down the Suicide Hotline number on the whiteboard with a squeaky dry erase marker for everyone to see.

The staff had all responded differently to the tragedy.

Coach Strong vehemently denied any involvement in the accident. Claiming that  _it wasn't his_ _responsibility to babysit teenagers_ , he became quick to anger, and grew increasingly foul-mouthed throughout the week. When Ninten had "the so-called nerve" to speak up in class with a rather smartass remark, Coach Strong finally snapped, throwing a stapler in Ninten's direction, which unfortunately missed and accidentally hit Lloyd in the head. The backlash from the appalled parents eventually got Coach Strong sent to the principal's office, where he was hastily fired for improper misconduct. A new ( _moustache-less)_  substitute took his place. No one had seen Coach Strong since.

Giygas remained as stoic as ever. He was an intelligent man, a picky stickler for rules and regulations. This often annoyed many of the other students, but Giygas didn't seem to care. His job was to teach, and teach he did well. A misanthrope with little patience for teenagers, why Giygas had picked up teaching as an occupation was anyone's guess, and many students did their best to avoid irritating the intimidating man.

"He's got the one-track mind of a brilliant scientist," Jeff had muttered once, eyeing the teacher to the side. "You can tell. He doesn't put his heart into anything except for his own work."

In any case, Claus's absence only seemed to have increased his cutthroat tendencies.

"...and it looks like Claus is absent." Stopping by the yet-empty desk, Giygas scribbled a note into his roll book. "That's a tardy slip in the record."

Worried, Ninten turned to Ness, and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Is he here?"

Ness shook his head. "Haven't seen him all day," he muttered back.

Spirits crushed, Ninten glanced at the empty desk. He wondered if Claus had gone to visit his brother in the hospital.

Finishing up roll call, Giygas snapped the attendance record shut. "One of our number is missing today," he said, sharp blue eyes roaming the silent classroom. "A student's been sent to the hospital after climbing over the school fence. Let this tragedy serve as a warning to those who continue to break the rules. I will not tolerate cheating or plagiarism of any kind. Am I clear?"

A murmur of assent rippled through the students.

Dull and numb inside, Ninten looked out the window. It made no sense. Lucas wasn't one known for breaking the rules.

They really ought to have canceled school today.

"Do you have something to share with the class, Ken?"

He glanced up. Giygas had fixed his attention onto him.

With a jolt of surprise, Ninten realized that he had spoken out loud.

Well, crud. He'd already stuck one foot into his mouth, so Ninten decided to speak his mind anyway. "I'd like to appeal for an excused absence. Claus has a good reason for not being here," he said quietly.

Giygas remained unimpressed. "Any absence involving family matters must be signed by a parent or guardian. I don't recall you acting as Claus's personal secretary."

Ninten stiffened at the rebuke. "There was an accident-"

"Accidents don't exempt you in the real world. Time moves on. What matters most is that you learn as much as you can here, and pass your national exams. Once Claus spends enough time to grieve, I expect him to catch up with material he missed. If you want to help fill him in, then meet me after class." His attention now turned to the board, Giygas cracked the math textbook open. "We're behind schedule. Now, if you please, turn to page A5 of your textbook..."

Catching the look in his eyes, Ness shook his head. "Dude, don't."

"Don't tell me  _don't,_ " Ninten hissed. "Why, what's he gonna do? Throw a stapler at me?"

"There's no point in getting riled up. It's not gonna do you any good-"

Ignoring him, Ninten stood up.

The class fell deathly silent.

From the first day of school, Ninten took on the role of class clown. Perhaps it was because of this reputation that the calculus teacher disliked him; though Giygas was professional enough to keep his opinions to himself, Ninten was sure of one fact: Giygas utterly  _despised_  him, and was happy for any reason to show it.

Unfortunately, this feeling was mutual vice-versa.

Giygas's eyes flashed dangerously in his direction. "Sit down, Ke- _"_

"I go by Ninten," came the stiff response.

"Still makes no difference. Sit down."

"Lucas was hit by a car. You could at least show the courtesy of respecting Claus's absence by excusing it," Ninten snapped. "It's not like nobody in school knows what happened-"

"The accident was a terrible tragedy, and while young boys of your age tend to be reckless-"

"Reckless?!" Cheeks burning aflame, Ninten clenched his fists against the edge of his desk. "Lucas didn't plan to get run over by a drunk driver! Don't you dare insult him by blaming him for the accident!"

A flicker of motion caught Ness's eye - As if in agitation, Pokey had stared down at his chubby palms, looking uncharacteristically subdued. Fiddling with his mechanical pencil every odd second or so, Porky would shuffle his shoes underneath his desk in a nervous fidget.

Ness didn't need to take Psychology 101 to understand the signs.

Pokey was feeling guilt.

Unfortunately Ness had been watching him for far too long. As if sensing his gaze, Pokey looked up. Shooting Ness a poisonous scowl, Pokey turned around in a halfhearted attempt to ignore him.

...For some reason, that made Ness feel even more depressed.

"-I never blamed Lucas for events outside of his control, and I want you to stop disrupting my class," Giygas said slowly, each word dripping with distaste. "I repeat, young man. Sit down. I'm reaching the end of my line-"

"YOU AND YOUR IDEAS ARE PATHETIC-"

"Detention, Ken, for an entire  _week,"_  Giygas snapped. "Disrupt class again, and you'll be written up for expulsion."

Ninten glowered back in fury. As he worked his jaw several times, his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. For a wild moment, Ness thought that Ninten was going to do more than burst into another heated rant, but the Podunk teen only gritted his teeth and dumped himself back into his own seat.

Without wasting another second, Giygas turned over to the blackboard. "Now then. Flip to the appendix. I will teach you how to derive these formulas..."

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~oO0Oo~

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Claus didn't go to school the next day. Nor the next.

He couldn't eat much. Claus couldn't even  _look_  at an omelet without thinking of Lucas laughing in the empty chair beside him. All eyes were fixated on the broken table etched with splinters and scars. The silence in the dining room was deafening.

Nobody dared to speak a word.

Abruptly, Claus stood up. His chair clattered onto the floor. "May I be excused?"

Without waiting for his grandfather's response, Claus bolted up the stairs two at a time and locked the door shut. He dove under the bed covers, hoping for escape, and tried hard not to think about his brother lying in a hospital bed alone, miles away from home. Shivering from the unexpected cold, he twisted his blankets around him in a messy flurry of limbs, then scrunched his eyes shut.

None of this was real. Yes, none of this was real, and Lucas was sleeping in the other side of the room. Claus just couldn't see him, that was all.

Sleeping was torture. Claus rarely fell asleep these days, and whatever meager slumber he scrounged led to nightmares. Many times, they were cruel re-enactments, dreadful flashbacks of his mother's death. In every single one, he woke up screaming for her to run before the drunk driver crunched her frame into bloody splinters.

Tonight, it was Lucas. Sweet, shy Lucas who would always manage to slip right out of his reach, always tantalizingly close, but always too far before vanishing into thin air.

"Goodbye, Claus," his brother whispered before taking a deliberate step onto the cool pavement.

"No!" Claus stretched out his shaky fingers, but the headlights always blinded him, speeding wheels crunched rough gravel into his face, then the awful shriek of a horn screamed in his ears-

Blood splattered the ground.

Claus awoke with a strangled gasp. "Lucas?"

No one was there.

He was alone.

Cold sweat poured down his face, and Claus doubled over, feeling sour bile claw up his throat in nauseating waves because  _oh god, he hadn't been dreaming and Lucas had really been hit by a drunk driver-_

Tearing the tangled covers from his legs, Claus dived into bathroom and hurled the contents of his stomach into the basin of the toilet. Doubling over, he choked as slimy bile slid up his throat; the stinging taste lingered on his tongue, sharp and bitter. Gripping the sides of the basin, he slumped over with a disheveled, wild look blazing in his eyes. When the wracks of pain finally subsided, his numb hands dragged himself towards the sink, gripping the tap with shaky fingers.

His blue eyes flickered up.

Claus saw his brother's face swimming in the bathroom mirror.

Like a drowning man, Claus desperately clutched at his reflection, only for his bare hands to slam against the surface of cold, unyielding glass. His reflection was beyond his reach...

Just like his twin brother.

He screamed and punched the mirror, shattering it into a spiderweb of cracked glass. His distorted reflection glared back, and Claus punched it again, not caring if his knuckles were screaming in pain, because this pain was nothing compared to losing his other half, and it didn't matter anymore because he was drowning, drowning,  _drowning_   _in despair-_

The lights flickered on. Heavy footsteps thudded against thick wood. Claus vaguely registered someone entering the bathroom, but he didn't know who it was. He couldn't care less.

Someone led his fists away from the mirror. Claus's knees buckled in from weakness, but the person managed to grip him by the shoulder and steer him back to bed. Before his head hit the pillows, Claus had clocked out from exhaustion.

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~oO0Oo~

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_Claus?_

_L-Lucas? Why aren't you in bed?_

_I heard you running outside... Where are you going, Claus?_

_Where am I - what're you talking about? I'm not going anywhere, Lucas. Go back to sleep._

_Then why aren't you dressed in your pajamas?_ _And... Is that dad's hunting knife?!_

_..._

_Claus!_

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~oO0Oo~

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Claus awoke to a stabbing pain in his left fist.

_What the hell?_

He grimaced as a twinge of pain seared through his knuckles. His hands, neatly-bandaged to his surprise, throbbed and pulsed in agony.

Memories of last night crept back into his mind. Disorientation quickly caved into distress, and not before long, the dead feeling returned. Ignoring his injuries, Claus pushed himself out of bed. He couldn't sit here and do nothing, not when Lucas was fighting for his life miles away. Claus had to do something, anything, because the empty silence was driving him up the wall-

The bedroom door creaked open.

Warm steam. The fragrance of food.

His trademark cowboy hat lopsided on his head, Flint ambled in with a piping-hot bowl of chicken soup. Catching Claus's stare, the man halted, hovering over his bedside.

After a long period of uncomfortable silence, Flint spoke. "Don't strain yourself."

The low admonition rang uncomfortably in his ears. With a jolt of realization, Claus realized that his father must have woken up to his mirror-breaking tirade last night.

Claus shrugged on his black letterman jacket. "Since when have you ever cared about what I do?"

Flint lifted a hand as if to pat his son on the shoulder. But when Claus stiffened up, he dropped it back to his side. "I've always cared for you," he said quietly.

"I don't have time for one of your pity talks,  _dad._ " Claus clenched his fists, ignoring his knuckles screaming in pain. "Go drink. Isn't that what you do now?"

His father's eyes flashed dangerously. "You don't understand."

"Great, because I don't want to-"

"You're not going anywhere, young man."

With a snort, Claus seized his shoes from the stand. "I'm off to see Lucas. You can't stop me-"

"Eat."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Claus snapped. Instantly, he regretted the outburst; a crushing weariness sank into his bones after the short burst of fury.

"Eat." With a stiff jerk, Flint shoved the bowl of soup in his hands. "I can't bear to lose two of you."

For a split second, Claus caught his dad's eyes under his hat. Flint's dark pupils, roiling with an unseen emotion, brimmed with volumes of unspoken words.

Then his father coughed, interrupted their eye-contact, then sauntered away.

The porcelain bowl felt warm in his frigid fingers.

Unsure of what to do, Claus stared down at the creamy soup. His hands shifted, sorely tempted to abandon the bowl on the bedside cabinet, but some unseen force seemed to prevent him from doing so. After what seemed like an eternity of unbroken silence, Claus curled his fingers around the hot spoon and dragged a steaming mouthful to his lips. He swallowed the soup down with difficulty.

Salty, yet strangely bittersweet.

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~oO0Oo~

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"We're collecting lunch money! If you're buying food today, please take out your order-"

A rising murmur of voices and noisy jingle of coins greeted Tony's announcement. As if on cue, the sound of twenty bags zipping hit their ears as students rummaged for their two-fifties. Aside from paying for cafeteria food, the school gave students an option to order lunch from a nearby Italian diner. In each homeroom, the "Chosen Two" would go around collecting money in plastic bins, then carry these purchases to the main office.

"Heya, Ninten," Tony said, enthusiastically pointing at their names on the blackboard. "Looks like we're on lunch duty today!"

"Oh." Startled, said boy took in the plastic bin for a full minute before latching onto it with both hands. "I guess you're right."

Lunch duty was more a trifle than anything. As they conducted their daily rounds around the classroom, the volume of babble grew by a considerable amount; everyone else was clever enough to spot an opportunity when they saw one, and eagerly stole this chance to talk with their friends without getting into trouble.

Lucky souls.

"Oi, Fuel! Whatchu getting today?"

"Ugh noooo, I forgot my lunch money  _again-"_

"If you ask me, this place sounds pretty sketch," Kumatora said, doubtfully eyeing the paper menu. "Is the beef lasagna any good?"

"I'd say it's  _meh_. Go with the Pumpkin Ravioli, _"_  Tony answered, cheerfully poking the order form. "Or you could try the Oregano spaghetti. It's probably better for carb loading."

"Hmm...nah, I hate Oregano."

As beady-eyed as ever, Miss Marshmallow's deadpan voice cut through their conversation. "Tony, no hats in the classroom."

"Sorry, Miss Marshmallow!"

Still half-awake, Ninten absentmindedly stopped by every desk, mechanically moving forward at the clink of change hitting plastic. He successfully walked down one row, sighed, then turned around to conquer the next.

What he saw nearly stopped his breath.

Or rather,  _whom._

Claus was back.

Snapping to attention, Ninten swiveled his head, now wide-alert, and waded through the chaotic jumble of chairs, a question burning on his lips. But his question died quickly as it had come: Claus stayed absolutely still the entire time - his back slumped over his desk; his head resting on his arms.

That, if anything, confirmed Ninten's worst suspicions.

As soon as Ninten set foot behind his desk, opening his mouth to speak, Claus's curt response cut him to the chase.

"I'm not buying anything."

"Are you sure?"

Claus raised his head by a fraction, skewering him with bloodshot eyes. "Since when have I ever  _paid_ for lunch?"

With a frown, Ninten closed his mouth. That was true. The twins qualified for the school's reduced income policy; they had either endured free Cafeteria food, or even rarely, brought left-overs from home.

"Did you eat this morning?" Ninten asked, quietly noting his bandaged fists.

"..."

Just as he had thought.

"Claus..."

"Leave me alone."

This time, Ninten complied. He didn't have the heart to respond to those depressing words.

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~oO0Oo~

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"...and I expect a full analysis of the  _Monkey's Paw_  next Tuesday. Late work won't be accepted." Over the growing murmur brought about from the ringing bell, Miss Marshmallow sharply rapped the podium, and the entire class fell back into a hush. "I've graded your first assignment and your Bellringers. Please pick them up at the front desk. You are now dismissed."

With a rustle of paper, the complaining students filed out in a line, heading to their next classes with their graded essays in hand.

"Claus."

Startled, he raised his head. Miss Marshmallow watched him, pursing her lips into a thin line. With a final glance, Ninten and Ness reluctantly followed suit, leaving him alone with the Creative Writing teacher.

"Meet me after school."

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~oO0Oo~

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His thoughts were fragmenting.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, those names held no meaning for him. Each day was another day without Lucas, another day without his shy, sweet, smiling brother.

"He has a chance," the doctor had said.

Gripping his brother's cold, lifeless hand in his own, Claus bowed his head and prayed.

It was all he could do.

Claus checked up on Lucas whenever he had the time, fervently, almost  _religiously,_  hoping that his unresponsive brother would finally wake. In every trip, he brought along a bundle of sunflowers. Something fresh. Something alive. Their petals colored the pale walls with a bright golden color Claus couldn't feel.

Claus wasn't always alone. The entire baseball team stopped by last week, lowering their caps to their chests in respect. After a few seconds of trying to stay strong on shaking knees, poor Ness had choked up and dashed outside, unable to take in the broken form of his best friend. And only yesterday, Fuel kept Claus company in equally silent vigil. Some tears were shed, a few words exchanged, but for the most part, the hospital room was deathly silent.

Soon came Claus's eighth visit to the hospital. After a full week, Ness and Ninten had tagged along, wanting to give Lucas their well-wishes a second time. After a brief talk with the nurse, the three of them hitched their heavy school bags onto their backs, and set off to the appropriate room.

Ninten had a sour look on his face.

"What's up with  _you?"_  Claus muttered from the corner of his mouth.

Ninten mumbled something incoherent under his breath.

Catching Claus's gaze, Ness shook his head.  _I'll tell you_  later, his violet eyes seemed to say.

With that thought, they walked down pristine, sickly-white corridor and opened the farthest room on the right.

**_Beep...Beep...Beep..._ **

Lucas's eyes were closed. A skinny, frail arm hung limply from the side of the bed. Soft puffs of air seemed to escape from his lips as his chest rose and fell in quiet steadiness. White, sterile bandages tightly wrapped around his torso, and ugly IV lines were taped to the arteries in his arms. They could only guess what other grave injuries lurked underneath the dull, faded hospital gown.

But Claus already knew. He had memorized the doctor's final verdict.

Broken 3rd and 4th ribs. Fractured femurs. Ripped Quadriceps. Minor brain trauma. On and on the gruesome list had continued. The only part of his body that had remained unblemished was his face. It seemed like a blessing that the accident had spared scarring his features from recognition, but to Claus, it was only a cruel reminder of his painful past.

At a loss for words, Ness slumped into a chair and stared, watching Lucas breathe with blank eyes.

Claus dunked the fresh sunflower into the vase on the bedside cabinet. This sunflower looked radiant compared to the seven others he'd brought, each one looking slightly more desiccated than the next.

"Hey, Lucas. Look what I brought you today. Another sunflower." A hysterical laugh threatened to claw its way out of his throat, but Claus swallowed it down. His voice broke. "I'm sorry. I can't think of anything better to get you, and you're probably sick of them by now..."

Closing his mouth, Claus buried his head into his hands, leaving his sentence unfinished. Never one to waste time, Lucas strove to be productive. He was always doing something when Claus spotted him - listening intently to the radio, playing fetch with Boney, climbing the apple tree by the forest in the backyard. Often times, Lucas pushed himself too hard, so Claus had to urge him to take a break and relax.

But not like this.

Not like  ** _this._**

He clenched his sore fists. "Why the hell do they keep rolling over innocent people?" Claus said through gritted teeth. His pale blue eyes seemed to gleam with an icy anger. "Are the police even trying to catch these drunken sickos?"

"They caught the man yesterday," Ninten said feebly.

"Fat load of good that does," Claus said. Bitterness seeped into his words. "It won't bring Lucas back."

Ninten fell silent. He exchanged a quiet glance with Ness. Neither of them seemed to know what to say.

Claus suddenly bolted to his feet. "What had he done to deserve this?" He swept an arm through the air, knocking over the sunflower vase. The fragile porcelain shattered with a discordant ear-splitting crash. "How is this  _fair_ _?_ "

Ness raked his eyes over Lucas's prone form. "Lucas wouldn't have wanted you to think like that-"

"Don't tell me what you think Lucas wants me to think,  _Ness._  That's what everyone said about my mom when she died from a fucking car accident, and do you see her coming back from the dead?  _Huh?!"_

"Lucas isn't dead," Ness mumbled.

 ** _Yet,_**  that unspoken word whispered into their ears. It was so tangible that Claus could almost hear it.

Ness sank back into his chair, seemingly drained of all strength. "How did it happen?"

Ninten spared a nervous glance in Claus's direction, but Claus gave no sign that he had heard. Ninten lowered his head. "I don't know. To be honest, I don't think  _anyone_  knows..."

"Lucas told me that he wasn't feeling good," Claus mumbled, peering between the gaps of his fingers. "I could've stayed behind. I could've checked on him, or brought him to the nurse, but I  _didn't._  I abandoned him for a stupid baseball game-"

"It wasn't stupid-"

"It  _was_ stupid. I could've stopped this. I could've saved him."

Ninten shifted uncomfortably. "It wasn't your fault, Claus. There was nothing we could've done."

"I don't understand how he ended up on the road," Ness said, his eyes resting on Lucas's limp form. "He would've had to climb over the fence."

Claus slammed his hands onto the cabinet. "Are you fucking serious?" he snapped, his features twisting into a dark, thunderous scowl. "Lucas wouldn't have walked into a semi  _on purpose_!"

"Hold on, Claus. Ness has a point. Maybe..." Ninten paced across the room, tapping his fingers against his arms. "There's something missing from the picture. Something we don't know. What if... this car accident wasn't really an accident?"

Claus looked like he was at the end of his patience. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I mean, what if this was all planned?"

"Why would someone want Lucas dead?"

"It could be a conspiracy or something. Something..." Ninten nervously looked to the side as if Miss Marshmallow was eavesdropping on them cursing.  _"Supernatural."_

Claus gave a light scoff. "Supernatural? Not this again."

Ninten gave a funny spasm. "Nevermind. It's stupid. Forget I said it-"

"No, go on," Ness said, sitting up in his chair. He sounded serious. "I wanna know."

Ninten's eyes flew towards a certain ginger in fear, but when Claus didn't object, Ninten leaned in and lowered his voice. "Here's how I see it. If this accident wasn't a fluke-" He took a deep breath and spewed it out. "Lucas could've been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Like, he could've witnessed something he wasn't supposed to see. A bank heist or something. Someone wanted him out of the picture. Lucas was successfully lured out of campus grounds, then  _BAM-"_  Ninten slammed a fist into his palm. "Instant KO."

His two friends sat still. Claus's skin crawled. "You can't be serious."

"I'm deadly serious, Claus-"

"Okay, I'm drawing the line," Claus said flatly. "Some drunk asshole almost killed my brother. A car accident is a car accident,  _period._  So don't give me the supernatural shit and stick your head out of the clouds for once-"

"You don't know what might be out there, so you shouldn't rule everything out," Ninten snapped, sounding fired up.

"And the drunk driver magically disappeared," Claus snapped back.

Ninten threw his arms into the air. "Okay, maybe I'm wrong. I don't know! Do I  _look_  like a killer to you?! I'm only thirteen!"

"Well your explanation has more holes than Swiss Cheese." Claus gripped the edges of his chair so tightly that they dug into his palms. "There's got to be a reasonable explanation behind this..."

"Either way, Lucas climbed the fence on his own," Ness said.

"Yeah. So?" Claus's breath hitched in his throat. "What're you trying to say?"

Ness opened his mouth, then hesitated and closed it again.

Claus froze; the horrified implication of Ness's words had finally sunken in. "Lucas is NOT suicidal," he screeched.

Ness's eyes widened. "Claus, I never said-"

"Shut up, Ness. SHUT UP. You don't know Lucas like I do!" A storm of grief blinded Claus, and without thinking, he jumped to his feet. Hot rage bubbled up his throat, engulfing in senses in a roar, and overwhelmed, Claus shook, blue eyes bloodshot as he jabbed an accusing finger in Ness's direction. "What if this was your sister we were talking about? Huh? What if  _Tracy_  was lying there on the hospital bed all bloody like she's dead to the world, and we're just here, sitting around and talking about who tried to murder her-"

 _"STOP!"_  Ness's eyes blazed with a wild fury. Claus had unknowingly pushed him over an unspoken edge. "Don't drag my sister into this. I never said that Lucas was suicidal-"

"Oh, you don't say!"

"Something doesn't sound right!"

Claus tapped his head in a mocking manner. "Oh gee, Lucas was hit by a truck. I wonder what  _doesn't_  sound right? Hmm, let me think. How about...  _everything?!_ "

Ness's eyebrows deepened into a dark furrow. "You know that I didn't mean it like that."

"Really, guys?" Ninten whipped back and forth between Ness's pointed glare and Claus's bared teeth. "Are you seriously gonna argue now?"

Both of his friends ignored him.

Ninten raised his voice. "OI," he snapped, interrupting their intense stare-down. "Do you think Lucas would be happy to see you two duking it out over his hospital bed?"

It was as if he had cast a magic spell.

As if stung, Ness scooted back, looking immensely guilty. Claus flinched, a startled expression flashing across his face before shifting into a contorted look of wild frustration. Without a parting word, Claus spun on his heel and stormed out of the room.

As soon as the lanky shadow disappeared from sight, Ness slumped over in his chair. "So much for having a nice day," he said, bitterly resting his eyes on Lucas's unresponsive form.

Ninten watched them both with undisguised worry. "Do you think he'll ever wake...?"

Neither of them had an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -With all those icebreaker/introductory bs worksheets that teachers hand out on the first day of class, I like to think that Ninten wrote down Ninten under his "preferred name." Thus Giygas knows Ninten as both Ken and Ninten, and I wanted to clarify the dialogue to show this exchange.
> 
> -Added what happened to Coach Strong. Based on a true anecdote: One of my teachers with a reputation for teaching well and for having a nasty temper actually threw a stapler at misbehaving student. The stapler missed, and ended up hitting the student sitting behind him.


	4. And Then There Were None

_Becoming a superhero is a young boy's dream come true._

_Superheroes bring hope in times of despair. They fight freely against crime, and serve under no other name but that of justice. In short, they feared nothing, and achieved what others couldn't do._

_With the passing of my mother came a time when I finally dropped that idealistic interest. The old "superhero" days seem to most like a mere memory, a short fad discarded and tossed away, but to me, they meant something more._

_In times of hardship, I was never truly alone. There had always been someone else who'd helped me take that leap of courage. _A true hero_ _is not fearless, but perfect because he is imperfect.__

_My brother is that hero._ _My brother is that hero I can never become._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Claus is my hero._

* * *

.

.

.

~ _ **Chapter Four**_ ~

_**And Then There Were None** _

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.

.

* * *

"What d'you mean, you can't play on Friday?"

"I have detention, remember?" Ninten said, moodily kicking a stone aside. "You can thank stupid Giygas for that."

Ness ran a hand through his own messy black hair. It didn't take much to realize that he was equally agitated. "But... but you're one of the best batters out on the field!"

"What are you talking about, Ness, I  _suck-"_

"Look -  _don't tell this to anyone!_  - but the new recruits weren't up to par. We need every player and veteran accountable for this season." Desperate now, Ness glanced at him. "Can't you like, get a parent's note to pull you out of detention?"

Ninten gave a contemptuous snort. "Fat chance. My parents think that I deserved it. And no-" he cut in as Ness opened his mouth again. "I'm  _not_  gonna ask Giygas to take it easy. He'll probably use baseball to blackmail me or something."

"Then what am I supposed to do?!"

"Sub in one of the back-up players. You know... the people in the club who AREN'T on the team?"

"I've asked. They don't want to compete. They just want to have fun." Ness flicked a fringe of hair out of his own eyes. "For the last time, don't let Giygas get under your skin."

"Easy for you to say," Ninten cried, whirling around. "I swear, he picks on  _everything_  I do. Dress code, attitude, posture...  _Sit up, Ken. Your shirt isn't tucked in, Ken. Answer my question, Ken._  It's like he loves making my life miserable!"

"He acts that way to everyone." When Ninten refused to respond, Ness gave a sigh. "Okay, I know Giygas isn't the friendliest face around. But after Claus dropped the team yesterday, we can't afford to lose any more players-"

Ninten whirled around. _"Claus dropped the team?"_

"Yeah."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was."

"...we need to get him back."

"No shit, Sherlock." Ness rubbed his eyes tiredly with one hand. "Ninten... it's like a part of him died since he's returned to school. Claus hasn't spoken a single word to me after that last hospital visit."

Ninten winced. Claus hadn't been an approachable person to begin with. Anyone knew better than to test his patience. And nowadays, when spoken to, Claus would bristle up with a blood-curdling glare that promised certain death to the unfortunate soul who dared to disturb him. Claus didn't just simply  _ooze_ hostility; he was hostility itself.

Claus was suffering.

"He needs this, Ness," Ninten urged. He spared the courtyard a nervous glance for any sign of a demonic red-head, and finding none, returned to whispering. "I'm afraid that Claus might do something stupid. You know how reckless he gets when his feelings go out of whack-"

"He won't listen to me," Ness said dully. "If you talk to him, then he might."

"Me? Talk to  _him?"_  Ninten laughed without mirth. Ness was a natural-born leader whose rationality and quick-thinking made him a well-liked person everyone looked up to. If Ness couldn't get to Claus, then Ninten highly doubted that he himself could. "Ness, are we even talking about the same person? We're talking about Claus."

"Yeah."

 _"Claus_. Kind of tall. Has an  _extremely_  frightening temper."

Ness snorted. "That's him, all right."

"Ness, are you deaf?" Ninten snapped, waving his arms. "Claus and I argue all the freakin' time! How the hell am I supposed to make him listen if you can't shove reason up his ass?"

"You get along with him better than I do."

Ness had a point there. Ninten grimaced, remembering how easily Claus had exploded at Ness at the hospital. For the hundredth time, Ninten fervently wished that Lucas was here to set things straight.

But Lucas  _wasn't_  here, and that fact wasn't going to change for a long time.

Maybe even never.

Ninten caved in. "Fine, I'll talk to him. I might as well try."

" _Trying_  sounds good."

"Look who's talking, you hypocrite!"

Ness cracked a smile. "Hypocrite, am I?"

"It's not a compliment," Ninten muttered, throwing him a scathing look. "Just you wait, you'll be eating your words."

His friend only laughed, waving him off. "I know I will. Go get him, buddy."

.

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.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

Mission "Talk to Claus" went badly from the start.

Ninten managed to catch Claus wrenching open his locker. So far, so good.

Violently snatching out textbooks and stuffing them into his bag, Claus radiated an undertone of simmering distress. Under closer inspection, Claus looked worse for wear. Purple-green bags sagged under his sunken eyes. His hair was strewn in a messy heap atop his head. The skin on Claus's face was a sallow yellow. and his limbs looked thinner than usual. No, seriously, if Ninten thought that Claus looked lanky before, he looked quite twiggy now.

Ninten swallowed hard. Once he stepped forward, he would be prodding the beast - an angry, fire-breathing beast with razor-sharp claws and nightmarish wings at that. One false step, and oh sweet Dalaamese spirits, he'd be signing his death warrant faster than he could say 'asthma.'

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

But when Ninten snuck another glance, a sad kind of pity twisted his heart. Even if he'd turned into an angry, fire-breathing beast, Claus was Claus. Claus was still his best friend. Ninten didn't have the heart to watch him suffer.

It was either now or never.

Ninten sidled next to him and coughed.

Claus didn't react.

Ninten coughed louder.

No response.

Ninten hacked his lungs out.

"Do you need an inhaler?" Claus said, sullen eyes glued to his locker.

"No..."

"Then cut it out. I don't want your germs over my stuff."

Ninten breathed in before starting off with, "...Claus?" 

"What?" The beast turned around, stabbing him with his piercing blue eyes. To no one's surprise, Claus was in a foul mood. "I have to get to class. Make it quick."

Ninten spewed his words out. "I think we should - ack no - I meant  _you_  should... um, rejoin the baseball team!"

Claus stared at him as if Ninten had suggested that they go skydiving into a volcano. "...What."

Ninten dropped the cheerful facade and lowered his voice. "Look, I heard you quit the baseball team. Ness is pretty upset. Actually, scratch that - we're both bummed."

Looking nonchalant over the loss, Claus shrugged Ninten's words off. "No need to feel bummed. Ness can find someone better to fill my spot."

"But you  _like_  baseball."

"I don't feel like playing anymore."

"Dude, are you trying to worry us? You can't keep living like this." When Claus ignored him, trying to walk away, Ninten slammed a foot in his path. "Don't deny it. We know that you're worried about Lucas-"

"Ninten-"

"And we know that you're really upset-"

" _Ninten._ " Claus's eyes were sparking with anger, but Ninten forced himself to plow through.

"But turning yourself into a wreck isn't going to help anyone!"

"Turning myself into a wreck? TURNING MYSELF INTO A WRECK?!" The ugly beast had reared its head, the snarling monster awakening in the shape of Claus. Ninten involuntarily took a step back as the beast roared and unleashed its incredible fury. Other students stopped to watch their exchange with fearful eyes.

"Why don't  _you_  try not turning yourself into a wreck after  _your sibling_  gets plowed down by a goddamn truck!" Claus shoved him into the ground. "STAY OUT OF MY WAY, NINTEN."

Claus stormed away, frightened students parting before him as he were a deranged murderer wielding a bloody axe. Ninten stared at his friend's retreating form before mouthing a fine curse.

This was gonna be a lot harder than he'd expected.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

"So... How did it go?"

"Shut up, Ness."

"Ninten-"

"You set me up on purpose," Ninten said indignantly. "Now look what you've done!"

Ness tried to keep a straight face. "I heard him bellow at you from three doors away."

Walking down the empty hallway, Ninten snorted. "I'll say."

"It's okay. At least you tried."

Ninten groaned and hid his face in his hands. "Great. Now Claus hates my guts, and I'm the laughingstock of the school-"

"Then I guess nothing's changed."

Ninten threw him a nasty glare. "I repeat.  _Shut up, Ness_."

Ness laughed. "You've gotta admit it was kinda funny-"

"No, it's not!" Ninten snapped.

Ness heaved a heavy sigh. All the mirth seemed to have drained from his features. "I know. It's not. But I was serious."

"About how I'm still laughingstock of the school?"

"No, I really thought Claus would've opened up to you." Ness threw him a shifty side-glance. "Well... At least he said something."

"If you count  _yelling my ears off and hollering bloody murder_ , then yeah, Claus said  _something_ ," Ninten said sarcastically as they stopped in front of Giygas's office. "No thanks to you, we're back to square one. Anything else you want to tell me,  _oh almighty_   _captain?"_

"Now that you mention it, I do. Have you noticed anything odd about Pokey lately?"

"Like what?"

"He seems a bit subdued-"

"Subdued?" Ninten gave a snort of derision. "Ness,  _please._  I bet he's just disappointed that he lost his punching bag-"

"I don't think so. He hasn't gone out of his way to confront us since Lucas got hit. If you haven't noticed, he's in our Phys Ed class too."

Ninten opened his mouth, then closed it in shock. "Huh. You're right." A horrible thought seized his mind. "Hey, you don't think-"

The classroom door swung open. His frowning eyes fixed on a graded test in hand, Giygas drew out his red pen. "Ken, if your Calculus grades are anything to speak of, you have plenty of time for idle talk later."

Ninten slumped over. "See you, Ness," he mumbled, stepping into the classroom.

Giygas shut the door behind them with a steely click.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

Rain dripped down in torrents that afternoon.

"How was school today?"

"It was okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Ninten's in detention again."

His mother flipped the sizzling steak burger on the stove; the heavenly aroma of ground beef followed the smoky smell of street food. The rough canvas of the tent flapped gently in the wind, spraying occasional water onto the plastic, set-up tables.

Even with their father's help, Ness knew his mother worked two jobs to keep them above the poverty line. From the wee hours of the morning, she would set up a Onett Beef and Breakfast street food stand until as long as four in the afternoon; late at night, she would work on finishing up her newest novel.

"What did he do now?" she asked, tapping her spatula against the pan. "Did he get into a fight with your friends?"

"He spoke up in class."

"Ai, ai, ai." Ness's mother shook her head in disapproval, skillfully squirted sauce into the fryer, then turned around to toss a salad. "I know his parents. His father's a strict man. Wants his son to inherit the family business. Very traditional."

Ness uncomfortably lowered his head. "I think Claus hates me," he said quietly, shifting to the side.

His mother paused. "What for?"

"We kind of had a fight..." Ness winced. "Over Lucas."

An impatient customer came up, requesting his order. Ness slid off his seat, engaging the irritated man. His mother called out an encouraging reassurance in response, then neatly wrapping the fried patty with dexterous fingers, delivered the order to the customer with a quick word of apology. The thankless customer went about his way without another word.

Washing and drying her hands, his mother leaned over the counter. Without second thought, she gently ran them through her son's hair.

"You should be more careful with your tongue," she said softly. "His brother's in the hospital, is he not? Be the better man and show some patience. I'm sure that Claus didn't mean it."

Eyes still lowered, Ness nodded despondently.

With a short tut, his mother flipped over her OPEN sign. "My boy can't stay out of trouble for  _two_  seconds, can he? I swear, it's your father's genes, I tell you."

Despite himself, Ness felt a warm smile grow on his lips. "He didn't have the rebellious streak."

His mother spared him a wide grin. "Now  _that_  you got from me."

"And the terrible temper."

"Keep that up, and you're getting no steak for dinner, young man."

"Yes, m'am."

"Ah! I almost forgot..." His mother curled a hand into her pocket, then drew out a slip of paper. "I'm closing shop for today. Can you run along and fetch some groceries for dinner?"

Letting out a groan, Ness stretched his arms. "But I don't feeel like it."

"Go run. You're starting to get a little chubby-"

 _"Mom-"_  he whined.

She playfully massaged his shoulders, then made a loud noise of exclamation. "What's this?!"

Surprised, Ness perked his head up. "What?"

"You're getting fat!"

"It's muscle!"

"Muscle, fat, same difference. Hah!" She lightly swatted him in the back. "Go run, fatty."

With a final moan of complaint, Ness slid off his seat, peeling his arms off the plastic counter.

"And don't take long!" she called out, piling the clanking pots into her arms and walking to the van. "You'll catch a cold!"

"Okay!"

Grabbing the umbrella on his way out, Ness did as he was told, and sprinted down the sidewalk. In mere moments, the blaring sign of the convenience store flashed before his eyes. Shaking the rainwater from his umbrella, Ness stepped in, shivering as the sudden gust of AC hit his wet socks.

"Carrots," he muttered, eyeing the aisles and reaching for the needed ingredients. "Pears, Eggs-"

So engaged he was in his task that he didn't notice someone in his vicinity. Startled, Ness recoiled back from the light collision. "Oops, sorry-"

"N-Ness?"

Ness looked up; he'd recognize that frightened whisper anywhere. "Picky?"

Hidden behind a crate of onions, the younger boy quickly glanced sideways before nervously beckoning him forward. Glancing around to check that the coast was clear, Ness stepped closer with a frown of concern. "What's up?"

"I'm here for chores too," Picky whispered, pointing at the apples in terror. "How can you tell which ones are ripe?"

The older teen grinned with amusement. "I don't. My mom usually scolds me afterwards."

Picky's face fell. "Oh. Well, it's okay." He hung his head. "Mom wants me to cook again," he muttered, looking utterly defeated. "I was hoping that if I make her something good, then she won't beat... get mad."

Ness's expression involuntarily tightened.  _That fucking bitch._ "You can come over to my place for dinner. My mom wouldn't mind."

But Picky quickly shook his head. "N-No! Thanks for the offer, but she's really hungry. I can't keep her waiting, you know...?"

With a sigh, Ness lowered a tomato back onto its rack. "Why don't we go and ask around? I'm sure one of the workers here know how to pick fruits."

"A-A-Ask?" The younger boy looked absolutely terrified. "It's okay, Ness. I don't want to be a bother-"

"I'll ask for you."

Hesitating, Picky looked up. "Really?"

"Sure thing," Ness said, confidently taking his hand. Picky's features had brightened up, and for some reason, the sight warmed Ness's heart. "Come on, let's go."

"Sorry for being an inconvenience-" Picky started again, before his own eyes widened. "-worker! Over there!"

"Where?!"

_"There!"_

After a mad scramble, two alarmed O-Mart workers, and a near head-on collision with the ice machine, two grinning boys emerged out of the check out line, successfully carrying bags of ripe apples.

"Your mom sure likes apples," Ness said, eyeing the bulging bags.

In happier spirits, Picky nodded. "We've been buying more food because of my brother's job."

Surprised, Ness turned around. "Your brother has a job?"

The younger boy gasped, then quickly covered his mouth. "It was a secret! I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry. I won't ask." Ness looked puzzled. "Didn't think Pokey wanted a job. I wonder what he does."

"Well..." Picky bit his lip. He clearly looked uncomfortable about breaching the subject. "Ness? Can I tell you a secret?"

Ness paused.

This was just getting weirder and weirder by the second.

"Sure."

Shaking slightly, Picky played with his fingers. "I don't know  _what_  he does," he admitted. "All I know is that he comes home with cash...a-and it's like,  _wads_  of bills. Mom and dad have been pretty happy though. They seem to know what he's doing, even though Pokey won't tell me. I guess the job pays okay-"

A giant bellow that made them both jump. "Picky!  _There_ you are. Come on, useless, I don't have all day to lounge around-"

Pokey halted in his tracks. For a second, he could only stare dumbly at his former friend, and Ness returned the look with surprised eyes. During this brief scrutiny, Ness noticed that Pokey had thick bags under his eyelids. In fact, he almost looked as tired as Claus himself.

Eventually, Pokey's gaze flickered to the umbrella in Ness's hand.

A strange emotion flashed across his eyes.

Trying to divert his attention, Ness awkwardly offered his bag of apples. "Uh... this is yours."

Without a word, Pokey snatched the bag from his hand. Yanking Picky over by the hand, he stomped out. With the cool whizz of electricity, the convenience doors smoothly slid shut behind them, obscuring the brothers from view.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

The hour-long bus trip from the city felt longer than Claus had remembered.

Everything felt  _wrong._  Not many people took the route to Tazmily, but the metal space felt emptier than usual. The seat felt much too big for one person. The lack of a warm weight on his shoulder felt too cold. And so, the minutes crawled by: sluggish, slow, and strange without someone to pass the time.

Dull blue eyes stared at the back of the busted seat, watching several loose, corkscrew springs jump in the greasy, yellow sponge. Behind him, he vaguely registered two girls whispering under hushed tones, both dressed in the tell-tale pink-and-white of Onett waitresses.

"She missed her shift today."

"Kumatora was always such a wannabe. I heard that she flirts with older men. Especially with that bass player in the DCMC-"

"The one with the tacky afro?"

"Yeah, she likes to book some private time with him after his performances at Titiboo."

"Wonder what she really does behind the scenes. Wink, wink."

The one on the left shoved her friend in the shoulder. "Girl, you  _nasty."_

Bringing their gloved hands to their mouths, they giggled obnoxiously.

Resting his head against the glass pane, Claus stared out the window, trying to tune them out in the sound of rain.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

One hour of mindless chatter had taken a toll on his patience.

Simmering in an ugly fury, Claus kicked the door open with a well-placed hit with the heel. Boney jumped at the loud noise. Sensing his master's foul mood, the brown dog whimpered and took refuge under the kitchen table.

_"Claus, we know that you're worried about Lucas-"_

Trying to ignore the voice in his head, Claus slammed the front door shut, messily kicking off his shoes. The unpleasant sound did nothing to divert his thoughts. Who did Ninten think he was, pretending to know how he felt?

_"-and we know you're really upset-"_

Emitting an incoherent yell, he hurled his school bag onto the floor. Books tumbled out of the open pocket with a loud crack, spilling out beside his feet.

_"-but turning yourself into a wreck isn't going to help anyone!"_

"-I know, shut up!" With a scowl, Claus then threw his hands up into the air. " _Perfect._  Now I'm talking to myself. The first step to insanity!"

Drained, he flopped onto the couch and sank into the cushions.

_Claus is my hero._

Right. Some hero  _he_  was. He couldn't even save his brother when he'd needed him most.

_"I have also graded your brother's essay," Miss Marshmallow had said, peering down at him through her red reading glasses. There was something oddly soft layered underneath the usual monotone. "If you don't want it back, I understand-"_

_"No. I'll take it."_

_For the first time in the three years he had known her, Miss Marshmallow hesitated. "Very well, Claus," she had said quietly. "I'll return it to you under one condition. If you want to read your brother's essay, I suggest that you do it alone."_

So that was why.

Gingerly taking out the crumpled essay with shaking hands, Claus smoothed it out. As usual, Lucas's handwriting looked modestly elegant: not over the top, yet appealing to the eye. Thinking back on it, Claus had remembered how bothered Lucas had looked when the younger twin had been teased for not showing him his essay. Claus had thought little of the page-long assignment at the time; he had merely ended up BS-ing something about nature. He hadn't taken the assignment seriously.

But Lucas had.

Shame twisted his insides.

_My brother is that hero._

_My brother_ _is that hero I could never become._

He didn't understand. What was Lucas talking about? What thoughts had traveled through Lucas's head as he carefully slashed his i's and looped his l's in the middle of night?

Claus wished he could ask him.

But Lucas was never coming back. He was fast asleep in the the arms of Eternal Dreams, never coming back because of some idiot's carelessness. Few comatose victims ever came back to life, and as much as Claus wanted to hope, the chances of Lucas waking seemed infinitesimal. They would run out of money before even a year of treatment was over.

_Claus is my hero._

Sinking into the couch, Claus scrunched his eyes, burying his head into his hands with a quiet whisper. "I could've stopped him... I could've  _saved_  him..."

"Claus."

His eyes snapped open in shock.

At the doorway, Flint watched him with an unfathomable expression on his face.

Had his dad been standing there the entire time?

Claus flushed. Brilliant, the last thing he wanted to do was show off his state of weakness to his own DAD. Triggered by this thought, his expression of misery shifted to that of defiance. Eyeing him with a look of distrust, Claus muttered the awkward words under his breath. "...I'm back."

Flint took his words in. "Homework?"

Claus gave a curt nod. "How's Lucas?"

"Sleeping."

"Cool."

With those awkward pleasantries finished, Claus rummaged through his bag for his physics textbook, no longer interested in engaging his father in further conversation.

Had Claus looked up, he might have noticed that Flint's palms were shaking in spasms, or that Flint was leaning against the wall for support. But Claus continued to glare at his own pencil with stony eyes, like the PENCIL had wronged him somehow, and ferociously scribbled something down onto the paper.

With Lucas gone, they had no mediator. After years of pent-up resentment and deep-rooted anger, the bridge between them had finally snapped.

Watching his son attack his homework with a furious vigor, Flint stayed silent - he didn't seem to know what to say. By this point, he would've gone, leaving his sons to their own devices. More often that naught, it had usually worked. The twins were strong. They could handle anything on their own.

But they were still children...

They were  _his_ children.

Claus clenched the physics textbook with whitening knuckles. A broken sound had escaped through his gritted teeth, a noise that sounded vaguely like a hoarse whimper. Despite his mask of indifference, his eyes betrayed him, flashing in a torrent of conflicted emotions: anger, pain, sadness, confusion,  _a_   _silent plea-_

Slamming the textbook shut, Claus picking up his discarded bag. "I'm going to my room-"

Flint met his eyes. "Sit."

"...What?" Claus said hoarsely in disbelief, as if not believing his ears.

"You heard me."

Angry tears finally flying out of his eyes, Claus tried to shove him aside. "Damn it, dad. Move!"

But Flint stayed put as Claus rained halfhearted blows at his chest, punched though the plaster wall with a fist, then dissolved into a pitiful mess of incoherent words. Without a word, as if knowing how he felt, Flint guided him back to the couch. The pillows sank under their combined weight. Yet, Flint said nothing as Claus let himself loose in broken sentences, sitting beside his son with lowered eyes.

Finally, Flint spoke up. His low voice carried itself across the room. "Did you eat yet?"

Claus didn't respond. Messy tears leaked out of his eyes.

His father lowered the brim of his hat, then made his way over to the kitchen. He cracked open the top cabinet, tugging out a loaf of bread, then headed over to the fridge. Sensing that the storm had passed, Boney peered out of the kitchen table with another whimper, then slunk over to Claus's hand, sniffing his fingers. Absentmindedly, Claus scratched him behind the ears, and Boney panted, goofily lolling his tongue out. Claus unwillingly cracked a grin, but upon catching it, Boney lolled his tongue out more, hoping to cheer him up.

 _Don't be sad,_ the dog seemed to be saying. _Look, I've learned some new tricks!_

It worked somewhat. Claus smiled, albeit a bit strained, then hugged the dog around the neck. "You don't have to try impressing me, Boney. You're already one of a kind."

As if understanding him, the dog perked his ears up and wagged his tail. With a wet nose, Boney nudged his closed physics textbook over, and Claus picked it back up from the floor, opening the book back to its trapped page. Lowering his head, he returned to scribbling halfhearted answers onto the creased homework sheet.

A plate of sandwiches clattered onto the circular desk: a silent peace offering.

Claus ignored it.

"I quit drinking."

The scratch of the pencil ceased.

"Figured that I should take care of the farm a little more. I could always sow more crops. Raise more cattle. Save more money for your college funds-" Flint cut himself off. "...take care of you more," he mumbled instead.

"That's... good," Claus managed to say.

His father sank back into the couch. "It ain't gonna be easy," he said bluntly. "But it's the right thing to do."

Claus had no idea what to say. Flint had given up all hope after Hinawa's death. Lucas's coma should've given him more than enough of a reason to crumble into ruin, but here this strange man sat, vowing to rebuild his world from the ashes. A strange fire, it seemed, had been rekindled in his eyes.

The bitter words escaped before Claus could stop himself. "You already said that you were gonna quit. You  _promised."_

Flint met his eyes. "And I intend to keep it."

His father's intense gaze skewered his soul. Suddenly feeling ashamed, Claus flickered his eyes down to the book. "Whatever."

Unfazed by his son's reaction, Flint ambled away, an unsteady gait in his legs. The odd movement caught his eye, and Claus lifted his head up in realization.

 _W_ _ithdrawal symptoms?_

Without a word, Claus looped one of his dad's arms around his shoulders for support.

Flint looked just as surprised as he did.

"Don't want you to crack your head against the floor this early," Claus muttered, gaining a sudden interest for the ground.

After a moment, Flint nodded. It was a tiny step - a baby step - but at least they were headed in the right direction.

Then Alec burst in, interrupting the sentimental moment. "Hospital called," he gasped, clutching the stitch at his side. "We need to drive over  _now."_

Claus started, jumping to his feet. "Gramps-"

Catching the urgency in his tone, Flint marched to the garage. "I'm driving. Get in the car."

"I don't think you should be driving-" Alec protested.

"You don't know the place. I know where it is. Get in, Claus."

Knowing better than to ask, Claus ducked his head into the back seat. As soon as Alec hobbled to the front seat, Flint slammed the gears. For a split second, Claus angled himself in time to catch the look on his grandfather's face.

It was one that spoke of bad news.


	5. Mother?

_"Gramps, why did the hospital call?"_

_"Be patient, Claus. I'll tell you when we get there-"_

_"It's about Lucas, isn't it?"_

_"..."_

_"I'm not a kid anymore, gramps. You can't hide everything from me-"_

_"Lucas is in critical condition."_

* * *

.

.

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~ _ **Chapter Five**_ ~

_**Mother?** _

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.

* * *

The speedometer never dipped below eighty.

Flint gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his fingers had turned an alabaster white. The brim of his hat draped his face in shadow, but Claus was grateful. He was afraid to know what expression his father was wearing.

Sitting beside his son-in-law, Alec didn't fare any better; the man looked as old as every year of his age. After feebly cracking halfhearted attempts to break the mood, he fell silent when neither of his kin reacted to his morbid jokes.

Claus could only stare at the windshield.

Not another word was spoken.

As soon as they checked in at the hospital, the family hurried into the coma ward without second thought. Waiting for them was the doctor, an exhausted man with a fraying gray beard and kind eyes, who reminded Claus of Santa Claus. While Flint and Alec stopped to consult the doctor, Claus had sprinted towards the bedside. Lucas's face looked abnormally flushed; he was shivering despite the layers of bedsheets that covered him.

"What's wrong with him?" Claus managed to ask, voice cracking in terror.

"I have good news and bad news. Well... let's start with the good news." Dr. Nippolyte flipped over the papers on his clipboard. "Despite his comatose state, most of Lucas's organs were healing. He was on a steady incline to physical recovery."

Flint shifted his hat. "And the bad news?"

"Ah, the bad news... His fever is fatal. One-hundred and ten degrees, and still counting. At this rate, the heat will soon denature his proteins and kill him within the day," Dr. Nippolyte said wearily, flipping the papers back onto his clipboard. "Flint... We've tried everything. The fever won't go down. It'll be a slow and painful death-"

"Isn't there anything else you can do?" Alec pleaded.

"Besides pills and hydration, your options are limited. With heavy internal injury to his organs, surgery isn't a viable option. I wouldn't recommend it at his state." The doctor softly placed a hand on Flint's shoulder. "We called you in to be present for his final moments-"

Flint grabbed the doctor and shook him by the shoulders. "Do something."

"Flint-" Alec chimed in weakly.

"That's my son lying there. You can't do nothing!"

Looking over a thousand years old, the doctor gently extricated Flint's hands from his shoulders. "That's the problem, mister Flint. There's nothing that we  _can_  do."

Flint stared at the doctor.

Jerking his hat over his eyes, he whirled out on his heel. Shortly after, they flinched as sounds of plastic cracking and panicked screams hit their ears - from the sounds of it, Flint was beating up the vending machine. Alec shared a look with the doctor before settling on a single resolve, hurrying after the distraught farmer in a racket of clamors and calls.

Not even ten minutes later, Claus stood alone in the empty ward, the doctor's words numbly ringing in his ears. The doctor had spoken to Flint about his final options. Somewhere, boxes were checked, and a reluctant signature was given.

 ** _The DNR_   _form,_**  the doctor had called it. Do Not Resuscitate. Lucas would have a painless death. He'd pass without CPR, without any life support. They'd stuffed him silly on painkillers so that he couldn't feel anything when it happened.

 ** _Almost like falling asleep_** , the doctor had said.  _ **A dignified death.**_

At the doctor's word, the nurses quietly filed out. One of them offered Claus a box of tissues, but Claus didn't register the kind gesture. His entire world was crashing on his shoulders.

It'd be all over soon.

Without a word, Claus slowly fumbled for Lucas's hand. Alec reached for the other.

Flint stood in the doorway.

"Flint," Alec said softly without looking back at him. "Come see your son."

"He doesn't need me."

"Flint-"

Tugging his cowboy hat over his eyes, Flint disappeared around the door.

Alec exchanged a glance with Claus as if to ask  _your move or mine_ _?_  But the decision was quick. Quietly, Alec ruffled his grandson's hair. "I'll fetch your father. You..." Alec glanced at Lucas's prone form under the sheets and swallowed as if the very words were breaking his heart. "You know best. Stay here and look after him."

After another feeble attempt at consolation, ruffling Claus's hair a second time, Alec left in a heartbeat, leaving Claus behind in the empty ward.

"Lucas," Claus whispered, carefully tucking one of his twin's sweaty blond locks of hair behind his ear. Lucas gave no sign that he had heard him, only taking in ragged breaths through the foggy breathing mask. In a reassuring gesture, Claus squeezed his twin's hand - once for hope, twice for luck. "Can you can hear me?"

No response, except for the loud beeping of the heart monitor.

"Hey. Talk to me."

With pained effort, Lucas exhaled, his breathing irregular and unsteady.

_**Beep.** _

_**Beep.** _

"You wanna know about home? Okay..." Pretending to answer his question, Claus gently brushed a hand through his brother's hair. "Dad's been a wreck. He doesn't say much, but you've shaken him up real bad. You're right, he  _does_  care about us. I guess... I guess that's why it hurts so much. Because I know he cares in his own way. I think."

_**Beep.** _

_**Beep.** _

"I wish you'd wake up. It's really lonely to talk to myself all the time..."

_**Beep.** _

_**Beep.** _

"The doctor's wrong. You'd better try hard to wake up. Because you're a fighter. Because... if you do, I'll... I'll promise I'll buy you a block of Peculiar Cheese from the supermarket. Yeah, a whole block." At this, Claus couldn't help but let out a watery chuckle. "You're such a weirdo. You like cheese more than dad likes to drink. I don't get how you like it so much. I hate that stuff. But I guess if you like it, then maybe it isn't all that bad."

Another rattle of breath.

Claus felt his throat close up. "Come on. Say something. One word. Anything."

Unmoving and hooked up to the respirator, his brother tried to heave another breath.

But there was something terribly wrong this time. An eerie silence had crawled into the room. Lucas had fallen motionless. Deathly quiet and still.

No breath.

Caught by the initial shock, Claus stared at his brother's limp body in incomprehension before blind panic seized him. "Lucas...? Lucas, wake up!"

__Oh no, I didn't mean to! Wake up, Lucas!_  I'm sorry!_

Shaking the flashback from his head, Claus dived across the bed with a hoarse scream, flinging the covers from his brother's body. "No... Not yet! Lucas, breathe.  _Breathe!"_

_My brother is that hero._

"Breathe, damn it! Lucas, listen to me, okay? Listen to me! Breathe!"

_My brother is that hero I can never become._

"You can't... I'm not ready to say-" Keep pushing. Keep compressing. Claus's fingers curled onto his brother's chest with a choked gasp. "Don't... Don't leave me behind."

Nothing. Not a single sound. Claus might as well have tried resuscitating a dead fish. The chest compressions did nothing to return stolen breath.

His vision blurred.

_Claus is my hero._

A hot sensation exploded inside his chest, trickling up his spine, and Claus doubled over as the painful heat seared through his entire body, scorching through his limbs and bones. Feeling his knees succumb to weakness, Claus collapsed under his own weight, feeling the sickening sensation burst inside his head.

Black dots gnawed at the corners of his vision. Colors blurred like a topspin, and then voices, he heard voices everywhere-

_Claus..._

The last thing he heard was a steady heartbeat.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus awoke in a meadow of sunflowers.

Caught by confusion, he slowly sat up. The sun was shining brightly overhead; the sky, a beautiful shade of blue. In his ears, the beautiful melody of bird song chirped, dancing through the air.

Perfect harmony. Perfect peace.

Was he dead?

Claus wasn't sure.

Then Lucas popped up, laughing in his face. That was when Claus decided that he was probably dead.

If so, this wasn't such a bad place to die.

Lucas's smile faltered, his arms extended behind him like a bird in flight. His blue eyes hesitantly studied his brother before Lucas snapped his head up, looking startled as if someone had called his name. Without even a whisper of a word, Lucas darted away, diving headfirst into the sea of sunflowers.

Panic quickly overwhelmed confusion.

Losing Lucas again wasn't an option.

Without pause, Claus scrambled to his feet, chasing after him in the forest of flowers. He was secretly glad that the sunflowers only came up to his chest; any taller, and he might've lost sight of Lucas from the start. Not used to being left behind, Claus stumbled, desperately calling out his brother's name.

As if hearing his voice, Lucas paused. He stood, patiently waiting for Claus to catch up, then began to sprint away.

The cruel game of Cat and Mouse restarted. Every time Claus felt like he was going to lose him, Lucas would respectfully pause, waiting for him to catch up. Every time Claus felt like he was about to catch up, Lucas would then flit out of reach. Faster and faster they ran; sunflower after sunflower they passed. The sun's rays twinkled, instilling the golden petals with life. Dancing leaves sang at the rhythm of their feet.

Lucas stopped.

Afraid that he was going to sprint off again, Claus scrambled forward, reaching for him with a shaking hand. "Lucas, wait-!"

Then he was airborne.

Feet met blue sky.

In dawning horror, Claus felt his floating body fall-

A firm hand gripped his arm.

Dangling a mile or three from the ground, Claus looked up with a grin. "You caught me."

With a soft gaze, Lucas pulled him back onto the cliff-top. Side by side, they sat with entangled legs, enjoying the majestic view of rustic Tazmily from the wondrous landmark. To the left the forest sat, peeking into their eyes with a shimmering green glow.

"Our house looks pretty tiny from up here."

Lucas hummed in agreement.

Claus turned, basking in the sight of his brother. Lucas no longer looked ill. His cheeks were still flushed, but they were aglow with a warm color that indicated health than sickness. His lips were curled in the same smile that spoke of brighter times; his hair, a happy yellow. In short, he looked radiant, alive in the mysterious world they were stuck in.

As if on cue, a soft whisper floated into his ear.

Claus felt his breath hitch in his throat. He couldn't, no, he  _wouldn't_  dare to believe. All those forgotten years seemed to melt away; it was as if she was standing right behind them, murmuring gentle words into the wind.

But his senses didn't deceive him.

With a joyous exclamation, Lucas rushed over to greet their new arrival, and their mother embraced him with equal vivacity. Peering over at her other son, her lips sported a mischievous smirk reminiscent of his own.

"Come on, Mr. Grumpy-grumps. I know you want a hug too," she said, opening her arms out wider. Blinking back the sudden tears of emotion, Claus didn't hesitate to accept the invitation, sinking into her embrace. He breathed in deeply; after all these years, his mother still smelled of warm sunflowers and rose water.

"I missed you," Claus said hoarsely, finally withdrawing from her embrace.

"As have I," Hinawa said softly, running her fingers through his hair.

"Where are we?" Suddenly scared, Claus chanced a look back at his younger brother. "Lucas, you were dying in the hospital-" Claus paused in mid-speech, caught by an abrupt thought. "Are we dead?"

Hinawa held a faraway look in her eyes. "I'm dead," she agreed. "But you two... are standing between the realms of life and death."

"But how-?"

"Claus, listen to me. I don't have much time left. You'll find out in due time," Her voice strained, and Claus could tell. The sunflowers were beginning to look transparent. The sky rumbled, flickering into a faint gray.

So Claus nodded.

His mother looked relieved. As if taken in by a sense of urgency, she bent down, gripping both of their palms in her tiny hands.

"You and your brother have unlocked a dangerous power within you. A psychic power that may cause dire consequences if it falls into the wrong hands." She opened her arms. "In many people, this power slumbers, ready to be awakened into use."

In spite of himself, Claus lifted his trembling fingertips to his chest. He certainly didn't  _feel_  any different. "But..."

"Everyone takes time to Awaken," Hinawa said softly. "You can't see it, Claus, but it's always been there. It's in your blood. Your power, once dormant, is very much alive."

"My power...?"

Hinawa smiled at them. "Love."

Claus felt extremely let down. "...Oh."

Hinawa laughed. Claus missed that laugh. "Don't underestimate love, Claus. Love might not seem like much... But it is perhaps the most powerful force in the entire universe. Love can be used to hurt people, yet heal others. Love is the passion that drives us, Love is the sentiment that brings us together. That same love for your brother unlocked the power within you." Her skin was starting to shimmer. Claus could see the blue sky through her now fading dress.

"Now..." Hinawa gently folded up Claus's hands to his chest. "Now that you're aware of your magic, keep your heart safe until the need arises. Psychic powers are rare, but for twins to share the same power... the strength of its awakening will have certainly attracted unwanted attention."

She knelt down and gripped her startled sons by the shoulders. "Protect each other. Trust each other."

Claus could only nod.

Hinawa relaxed, and withdrew from them with a sigh of relief. She was now a faint shade in the background. "Please... Stay safe, my sons."

The background blurred into blocks of color. His mother's voice was now a mere whisper in the wind.

_...I love you._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus was submerged in blissful darkness.

He felt weirdly exhilarated, yet completely exhausted at the same time: a sensation akin to the time he stumbled off a rollercoaster ride. His limbs were useless weights sinking into the bed, and his fingers tingled sharply as if he had pins and needles. Though soft sheets covered him, snugly wrapped around his shoulders, he felt as if he had swallowed several ice cubes.

Claus shivered.

There was the crisp rustle of sheets. Someone was sitting close by, running their fingers through his sweaty hair.

"Claus?" A whisper. "Are you awake?"

 _Claus?...Claus?...Claus?.._ _._

The voice echoed painfully in his ringing head.

"I had the strangest dream," Claus croaked. His eyelids remained closed; they rested heavily on his face. "Everyone was waiting at the old sunflower field. We had a picnic, dad... but you never came, and... and the sandwiches went bad..." He wrenched his eyes open a slight sliver. The figure in his vision blurred and swayed nauseatingly. "Is that you, dad? Are you dead too?"

He felt the person shift slightly, and suddenly felt afraid. "Don't. Don't leave-"

Smooth fingers trailed across his shoulder in soothing circles, before a hand latched onto his palm to offer a reassuring squeeze. A comforting presence brushed against his mind, and Claus felt the turbulent nightmares melt away into the deepest crevices of his soul.

_Sleep, Claus..._

And with a last sigh, Claus fell into peaceful dreams.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Something cold and wet poked his face.

Claus's eyes shot open.

Ninten's face was less than an inch away from his, his own wide eyes staring down at him in shock.

"AAH!" Claus yelled, flinching and knocking his head against his.

There was a dull crack of pain as two skulls collided. With a yelp, Ninten flailed backwards off the bed, landing on his rear with a thump. Dropping the wet rag clenched in his hand, he threw Claus an offended look. "Really, Claus?!"

Rubbing the sore spot away, Claus stuffed his face into his pillow. "Go away. I was having a good dream before you barged... in." Claus's voice faltered.

Because.

Since when did Ninten hang out at  _his_  place?

"You're welcome," Ninten said, sniffing in disdain. "It wasn't easy to convince my dad to let me see you-"

Claus blinked. "You're here."

"Well, duh."

"No, I mean... you're _here."_

Ninten raised an eyebrow. "Astute observation. You got a problem with that?"

"Great. This is a fucking nightmare. Now  _you_  know where I live." Claus groaned, rubbing his still-throbbing head. He pushed himself up, squinting into the afternoon light. "Hey... How the hell did you find out anyway?"

"Well-"

They were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

To Claus's rising bewilderment, Ness peeked in. Realizing that Claus was awake, Ness threw the bedridden boy a sheepish wave. "Oh. Er... hey, Claus."

"...why are you in my house."

A statement, not a question.

"Good to see that you're awake." Ness awkwardly gestured behind him. "I was just helping Lucas catch up on homework."

"Lucas...?" Claus started slowly.

His friends shared a look, then Ninten shot him the biggest smile he had ever seen. "He's awake, Claus."

No. It was too good to be true. Claus pushed past them and stumbled down the stairs on his numb legs. Despite his knees wobbling and threatening to buckle, Claus came to a complete stop at the foot of the staircase, where he stared at the sight in the kitchen, unable to believe his eyes.

As if the past two weeks had never happened, Lucas sat at the kitchen table, skimming through the World History textbook. Drawing a finger down the page, Lucas paused as if reading a question. His eyes lit up in realization before he scribbled an answer into his notebook.

Catching up to Claus at the foot of the stairs, Ninten seemed unable to lose his smile. "Talk to him," he encouraged, elbowing Claus forward. "He's missed you for three days."

Claus took a shaky breath, and stepped forward. Deep in concentration, Lucas didn't notice him until Claus had made his way across the room right behind his chair. As if sensing his presence, Lucas lifted his head.

"Ness, I think General Fobby had more battle experience, not Lieutenant DryGuy-" Lucas started, swiveling around. His eyes widened at the sight of his brother. "...Claus."

Lucas was all right.

Like his name had broken some sort of spell, Claus rushed forward, closing in the remaining distance and crushing his younger brother in his arms. Relief showering his own features, Lucas hugged him back.

"You're awake," Claus choked.

Lucas gave a gentle smile. "Took the words out of my mouth."

Claus rubbed his suddenly stinging eyes with an arm. "Damn it. Damn..." Too proud to cry, Claus instead dragged a yelping Lucas off his chair, forced him into a headlock, then gave him the best noogie possible. In protest, Lucas squirmed around, scrabbling at his arms, and Claus laughed, unable to resist a large grin. "Oh man. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do  _that_."

"Not cool!" Lucas sputtered out.

"Not cool?  _You're_  the one who left me hanging! Slept for what, more than a week?" Claus squeezed him tighter, driving all the air out of Lucas's lungs. "Aghh, never scare me again, or I'll punch you-"

"C-Claus... too tight, can't breathe," Lucas managed to wheeze out.

Too late. Nothing could stop an Overprotective Brother on a roll. "You massive, complete...  _idiot,"_  Claus yelled, furiously jabbering away at his sheepish-looking brother. "When that truck ran into you, I thought you were-  _AUGH!_  You're in big trouble, you're... you're  _GROUNDED-"_

Claus's voice ringing in his years, Ness watched Lucas flounder pathetically across the floor. "Poor Lucas. He had to go through the same thing two more times-"

"Ness choked him by accident," Ninten piped up helpfully.

Claus's  _overprotective brother_  senses kicked in overdrive, and Ness gulped as the Beast arose, hopefully sniffing the air. Claus gave him a nasty look, all the while loosening his grip on his relieved brother.

"I didn't  _actually_  choke him, honest!" the poor soul squeaked.

Claus shot Ness a last halfhearted glare before deciding to spare him. Lucas was alive. Ness deserved to live another day. "Why aren't you both at school?" Claus said instead, still holding onto his brother like they were attached at the hip. "Knowing Ninten, I bet he's turned into some hobo truant-"

"Did not! It's Saturday, you jerk," Ninten protested, kicking Ness's own wet rag out of the way. "We've been helping Lucas catch up on homework. That was literally the only reason my dad let me skip my lessons this week. Which kinda sucks, because I actually like ballroom dancing... but hey, you've got some homework on your plate too."

"I do?"

"You missed school for three days."

Struck speechless, Claus's hand flew to his face. "What happened?" he murmured, feeling his own forehead. "I was burning up..."

Lucas dropped his pencil into the binder of his book. "It's a long story," he said, giving Claus a worried look. "Maybe you should eat something small first before we talk-"

"No," Claus stubbornly cut him off. "I got this."

"Wait-"

Claus poked him aside to hobble to the fridge. "Not today,  _little_  brother."

"Claus! I'm only younger than you by  _two_  minutes," Lucas argued, trying to follow suit. "Go rest-"

"Shut up, you! I'm cooking-"

"You just woke up!"

With a laugh, Ness made to break up their squabble before turning back around; Ninten hadn't budged from the doorway. "Dude, you coming?"

Ninten jerked out of his daze. "Doorknob," he blurted out. "Uh, I mean... gotta go to the bathroom. See you in a bit," he fumbled out while racing up the stairs, leaving a baffled Ness in the first floor.

But Ness must've gotten over his momentary confusion, because soon, Ninten heard his excited voice join the others.

Shutting the door behind him, Ninten released an explosive sigh before sliding down onto the floor. "I am a massive  _idiot,"_  he muttered, tossing his cap onto the sink. "Idiot, idiot, idiot..."

Ninten turned over his hands. In a burst of concentration, a few sparks of energy happily spiraled around his fingers in an amber glow, as if a fireplace were spitting out embers. Had Claus woken up a second sooner, he would've spotted it.

Magic.

While it was beyond brilliant that Claus had woken up on his own, Ninten knew that it had been Lady Luck - not skill - that had saved his own secret from being blown up tonight. If Ninten had been a second too late, if he hadn't hesitated over healing Claus up...

Suddenly, Ninten felt like he was trapped again, watching Lloyd walk by behind the windows of his house.

Oh yeah, there was no doubt about it.

His dad would've chewed him out.

As much as he wanted to argue, his dad was right. There was a reason he kept his powers hidden from the mortal eye, and he'd learned it too well.

All magic had a price.

Ninten had worked too hard to find the people he'd called  _friends._  He didn't want his magic to cost him their friendship.

So when Ness called out his name, begging for back up, Ninten flew down the stairs, bracing himself for whatever mischief Claus had caused.

 _Another time. I'll tell them another time._  Ninten resolved.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Needless to say, Ninten was unprepared for the fiasco in the kitchen.

"Do something, Lucas!"

"Don't wave it around," Lucas yelped, stumbling to the side and narrowly avoiding the flaming fireball of doom. For someone who had  _just_  woken up after three days of fasting, Claus looked like he'd been hyped up by all the sugar in the world.

In other words, the frying pan in Claus's hands was on  _fire_.

Ness was doing his best to put it out, waving his hat furiously like a bobblehead in an attempt to extinguish the flames. "Someone get water!"

Lucas ran over to the sink and turned on the valves to the max.

Nothing happened.

Lucas's face paled. "Uh... Dad must've forgotten to pay the water bill again-"

"Lemme try!" Claus shoved him aside, then struggled with the knob to no avail.  _"HECC,_  this is it. We're so screwed!"

Mouth agape, Ninten could only stand to watch the scene. "Whut in the holy name of Mother-"

Flinging the front door open, Lucas dashed into the backyard. "I'll check the well," resounded his muffled yell as his footsteps petered off into the grassy meadow.

"Hey, don't just leave me hanging! Whadd am I supposed to do with  _this_ _?_ " Claus screamed, waving the pan like a maniac wielding a flyswatter.

"Bring it outside!" Ness yelled.

"Great idea, genius. Let's burn all the crops!"

"It's either that or the house-"

_"I don't like either of those options."_

"What other choice do we have?!"

Then their untimely savior skidded through the front doors, bellowing out the magic words, "OUT OF THE WAY!"

A tornado of water washed over the entire kitchen, dousing the tiny flames out. When the forceful spray of water finally subsided, three sopping children faced a Flint gripping a garden hose like it was his lifeline.

Coughing, Claus spewed out a trickle of water from his mouth. "Uh... dad."

Like all parents did under stress (aka parenthood), Flint's voice turned dangerously quiet. "...What the devil happened here?"

Claus gulped. "Well, we were cooking omelettes-"

"I wasn't," Ninten muttered. Ness elbowed him in the side to shut up.

"-and the... the pan caught on fire," Claus finished lamely.

With a weary sigh, Flint tossed the garden hose outside. "I thought someone had broken in, and... nevermind. I didn't know you were up," he added gruffly, eyeing his son in concern. "You should be in bed."

Claus looked down at his dripping clothes. "Yeah about that... I don't think that's an option anymore."

"Why didn't you douse the pan with water?"

"We tried, but I think we forgot to pay the water bills-"

"I paid on time." A pause. "Kitchen sink's broken. Came in to fix it," Flint said in the awkward manner of someone stating the obvious.

Claus felt like an idiot. "...Oh."

' _Oh'_  did little to sum up the terrible realization of their stupidity. The silence was so profound that Claus swore he could hear crickets chirping in the background. His dad studied their sopping faces one by one, then opened his mouth with a frown - probably to tell the boys to change into drier clothes - until someone interrupted him to it.

"I brought some wa- _AAah!"_  Lucas tripped over the doorstep with a cry of alarm. The bowl of water flew from his hands...

...and overturned straight on Flint's head with a huge  _splash._

Calamity Two-Point-Fucking-Oh.

Lucas froze, an expression of horror growing across his face. Claus admitted that the comical sight would've been funnier had the situation not been so serious.

"Dad?!" Lucas sputtered in disbelief. A man of few words, Flint said nothing, only lifting the bowl from his sopping head to watch his youngest son profusely stream apologies like running water. "I-I, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you wet! There was, we tried... and a fire-!"

"You two are grounded from the kitchen."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"That was a disaster."

"No kidding. We almost  _burned_  the house down."

Lucas groaned, burying his face into his hands. "I hope dad's okay-"

"You didn't hurt anyone. It's just water," Claus reassured him, patting him in the back when Lucas looked miserable over his most recent blunder. "But  _I'll_  say. You need to work on your coordination, because it's absolutely fucking  _terrible-"_  Mortified beyond belief, Lucas shoved him aside, and Claus fell on his sides from laughter. "Haha! Ow, don't hit me there-"

Always the more cautious, Lucas instantly pulled back. "...Did I hurt you?"

"Nah. You punch like a sissy."

"I'm  _not_  a sissy," Lucas protested, puffing up his cheeks in indignation.

His brother only smirked, before pinching him in the cheek. "Sissy."

Lucas's cheeks reddened, and Claus laughed again, clutching his aching stomach. Oh sure, he felt  _terrible_  for teasing his brother, but how could he stop when it was so terribly amusing? Claus had forgotten how much he'd missed little things like this. Making fun of his brother was one of those little things Claus hadn't realized he'd taken for granted until it was gone. A warm feeling blossomed inside his chest.

As Claus felt more of his giggles escape, Lucas wrestled him back down into bed. "No laughing. You need  _rest,"_  Lucas said firmly, blinking back at him with serious eyes.

"Lucas, I feel  _fine_. Nothing a little sleep won't fix. I'm just surprised that dad grounded us."

Lucas looked away. "It's been years since dad's grounded us for anything," he said quietly.

"I know, right?" Amused, Claus rolled onto his stomach for a more comfy position. "He even cooked dinner today. Weird, or what?"

"Well... while you were out, he's been the one cooking dinner-"

Claus almost toppled over in shock. "...Really?"

"Yeah. I have a feeling that dad was looking for an excuse to ground us from the kitchen." Lucas sounded terribly puzzled. "I wonder why... We can always do the cooking. We can take care of ourselves. He knows that."

The thought warmed Claus's heart. "Yeah, he really didn't have to take over the kitchen..."

For the first time in a long while, they'd sat together for dinner as a family and  _talked_. It was a lively atmosphere buzzing with energy; he and Lucas were only all too happy to catch up, while Flint had listened in, liquor bottles noticeably absent from the table. Adding in his own two cents and a pun, Alec had even thrown Claus a nod of approval after dinner, something that gramps had never done before. A strange sort of pride infected him, and tonight, Claus felt high, drunk on the happiness he'd earned.

But there was one thing Claus hadn't forgotten.

"Lucas?"

"Hmm...?" Lucas's voice trailed off sleepily; he'd long since returned to his own side of the room.

Claus closed his eyes. "On the day of the accident... what happened?"

"Huh?"

"You know... the accident."

"I got hit by a car."

"No, I mean-" Claus waved his arms around. " _The_  accident. Why did you climb over the fence?"

He heard Lucas shift uneasily in his bedsheets. "...I don't remember."

Claus's eyes snapped open in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I meant," Lucas said quietly. "When I returned to school, everyone kept asking me the same thing. But Claus... I don't remember climbing over the fence."

"You're wrong," Claus said, voice unusually shaky. "You  _do_  remember. You  _have_ to remember." But when Lucas didn't respond, Claus had flown over, grabbing his struggling brother by the shoulders. "Lucas...? Talk to me-"

"I don't-" Lucas protested, now scrabbling for his brother's wrists to loosen their grip. "I really don't remember, Claus-"

"Then let's start off slow," Claus said, now serious. "I'm gonna ask you some questions, and you gotta do your best to answer them. What's the name of our dog?"

"But-"

"Where do we live? What's our mom's name? Who-"

"I don't have amnesia-"

_"Answer me!"_

Lucas fell still in his hands. Breathing heavily, Claus stared into his face as if Lucas's expression alone could answer his questions, searching his eyes for any sign, for any flash of recognition.

...There was none.

Emitting a soft broken sound, Claus finally let go. He swallowed, and turned around, unable to face the blank look in his brother's eyes. "The doctor... didn't tell us that your memory loss was gonna be this bad."

"It isn't," Lucas whispered. His eyes stayed glued to the floor.

"It  _is."_

"It isn't." Sensing his brother's troubled disquiet, Lucas propped his head on Claus's shoulder, dangling his legs over the edge of the bed. "I'm still here. I'm alive," Lucas said gently, touching his brother's hand, but Claus looked pained. Swallowing hard, Lucas let his eyes flicker to the side. "And even... even if I lost my memory, I wouldn't forget you."

Claus's jaw locked into place. "You don't know for sure, dumbass."

"It's true," Lucas said stubbornly. A stray lock of blond hair dangled over his eyes.

Claus's shoulders fell. Despite himself, he relaxed at his brother's touch. "Well, you're not playing any sports or baseball until you get better," Claus muttered, tucking in the stray lock of hair behind his brother's ear. "You're at risk for minor seizures-"

Lucas's face fell. "But I didn't get any seizures-"

"You  _might_ ," Claus said flatly. "The accident shook up your brain. Doctor Nippolyte said that anything could trigger a flashback within the next few weeks if you're not careful about your rehab. I don't want you to risk one at school." A firm edge had entered Claus's voice. "Lucas, I mean it. You're hobbling around. I want you home until you can walk on your own. No sports for a week."

Lucas didn't look happy, but the serious look on Claus's face was enough to quell his protests.

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~oO0Oo~

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True to his word, Claus had spoiled a bewildered Lucas silly with a good week's worth of Peculiar Cheese. Sensing his brother's worry, Lucas had wisely allowed himself to be bribed at the sight of one of his favorite foods.

Unfortunately, Peculiar Cheese could only do so much to keep Lucas busy.

Claus's constant fretting over the next week or so had finally chipped away Lucas's patience. Lucas missed learning. Lucas missed his friends. Lucas missed following his brother around wherever he went, Lucas missed Ness firing up over a game of baseball, Claus's prank wars against Ninten, Ninten whining and complaining about his newest heartbreak, Tony talking too much in class, and Fuel flirting with Angie by "pretending he didn't like her." Even the threat of Pokey bullying him wasn't enough to deter Lucas from wanting to go to school. And if Lucas had to be honest, he was getting pretty sick of lying in bed and stuffing himself with cheese every day.

So Lucas had begun to slip out of bed, much to his older brother's own displeasure.

When Claus returned home from school one day, only to spot Lucas scaling up an apple tree like a monkey, he'd freaked out like a mother hen, convinced that Lucas was about to fall and break his back. Hoping that this stunt was enough to prove his own health, Lucas dropped down from his perch to greet his older brother with a happy chirp of  _FREEDOM IS MINE!_

"No, no, no," Claus said impatiently, shoving a complaining Lucas indoors and back into bed. "What the fuck, get back under the covers, you weirdo. Shoo-"

"Can I go to school tomorrow?" Lucas asked hopefully.

"No."

"It's Friday..."

"Like I said, no. _I'll wrestle you back into bed._  And gramps is coming over to keep an eye on you, so don't even think twice about sneaking out like last time."

Lucas groaned. "You're such a mother hen. I can go outside on my own, Claus. I feel  _dandy-"_

"Not yet. You're staying right where I can see you."

"I want to have fun with the baseball club tomorrow-"

"And I want you to  _stay home."_

Gloomy-faced, Lucas flicked his wrist, tossing a stray baseball into the air. "I wanna run around..."

Without looking away from his physics textbook, Claus caught the ball in his hand before gravity could hit his brother in the face. "I'm not stopping you. You can run around here."

"I'm not gonna drop dead-"

"Good." Claus flipped over a page. "Stay alive."

From the bed, Lucas made a disgruntled noise, then buried his face into a pillow like he was telepathically trying to vent in all his frustration. Feeling a twinge of pity, Claus stopped his homework to spare him a glance.

Lucas looked thoroughly miserable.

Lowering his pencil with a sigh, Claus poked him in the cheek. "You still alive?"

"..."

"You've been getting fewer seizures," Claus tried a hand in encouragement, even though both of them knew how much he majorly sucked at it, and as a silent thanks, Lucas squeezed his hand back in response. "See? I bet you'll be able to go to class next week-"

Lucas's hand suddenly tightened around his like a vice.

Any feeling Claus had dissipated into dread. "...Again?"

Burying his face deeper into Claus shirt, Lucas scrunched his eyes and shook his head, unable to speak. When his fingers clutched Claus shirt tighter, twisting his nails into the cotton cloth, that was when Claus recognized the symptoms: he felt Lucas's arms seize up, heard his brother's ragged breathing hitch up a notch before kicking into overdrive.

Claus bit back a swear, trying to contain his own panic. He'd thought that Lucas's anxiety attacks had faded over the years, but as Claus searched his brother's eyes, he realized that the sudden episode had caught Lucas by surprise as well. Fear began to cloud Lucas's mind, and they both watched in terror as the familiar, yet unwanted feeling began to creep up Lucas's limbs, locking up his muscles in a petrified spell.

Claus grabbed him over by the arms - an easy task as Lucas had already frozen in shock - then guided him back to bed, all the while trying to remain calm. "Easy now.  _Easy._  Breathe. Control your breathing. In, then out. You know what the doctor said. Breathe in through your nose, then breathe out through your mouth-"

"Can't-" Lucas's breath hitched up another notch. "C-Can't breathe-"

"Look at me. I'm right here, listen to me. Breathe. Listen to me breathing, and follow-"

Lucas's unfocused eyes darted over to his face. "Claus-"

"I'm here," Claus repeated, lowering his voice and gripping his hand. "...I'm here."

The panic attack subsided.

All the tense muscles in his arms relaxed, leaving Lucas wobbly and shaky. Gulping down a sob, Lucas curled up into a ball of misery and shame.

"Oh no-" Feeling like he was about to cry as well, Claus reached for his arm. "Lucas-"

"Don't. It's okay." Lucas hugged himself tighter, squeezing his eyes shut. His voice was barely a hoarse whisper. "I'm fine. I'm fine-" As if in pain, Lucas suddenly recoiled with a grimace, breathing hard. "My head..."

Claus instantly sat up. "Your head...?" he repeated, eyes flashing towards his brother's forehead. "I'm calling the doctor-"

"No-oo," Lucas whispered, grabbing his wrist. His forehead was dotted with sweat. "Not the doctor-"

"You're crazy. I'm calling the doctor," Claus said bluntly.

"It's ju- Just a-" Without warning, Lucas's face turned green before he retched, doubling over the side of the bed.

Fearing the worst, Claus leaped to his feet, turning a coughing Lucas over on his side. Dry-heaving - a bad sign. Almost petrified by the slack expression on his brother's face, Claus held onto his brother's cold, stiff fingers throughout the entire ordeal, counting the seconds on the clock - the same way the doctor had told him to respond.

The seizure lasted a full minute.

When Lucas finally croaked out the familiar  _What happened?,_ Claus was there, rubbing circles into his back and explaining everything to his brother. He listened as Lucas uncontrollably regurgitated pieces of his fragmented memory.

"The... The baseball-"

"We were playing a game," Claus agreed.

"I wasn't f-feeling well..."

"You weren't. You sat out to take a nap."

"Nooo... didn't... didn't take a nap," Lucas whispered, squirming around in his hug. "You were there."

"Yeah, I was," Claus said, trying not to betray the fear in his voice. He swallowed the lump down. A seizure after an anxiety attack? What next? This was the worst it had gotten. Whatever flashback Lucas had gotten must have been one hell of a memory.

"Over the fence."

Claus twitched in surprise. "Huh?"

"Ness hit a homerun. You went climbing over the fence for the ball." Sensing that something was off, Lucas trained his uncertain eyes on Claus's blank face. "Am I wrong?"

"Lucas..." Claus said slowly. "I never climbed over the fence."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Breathing in through your nose and breathing out your mouth is a common meditative practice that helps with anxiety.


	6. Oncoming Foe

_"Lucas... I never climbed over the fence."_

Claus noticed how his brother's cheeks paled, how Lucas's lips barely tautened at the corners. Most adults would say that the younger brother was more of an enigma; Lucas was easy, yet difficult to read. Lucas was an open book, but chose his words carefully. In fact,  _careful_  described Claus's brother perfectly. Perhaps that was why Lucas was so reserved; he only spoke whenever he was absolutely certain of his words.

But years of experience had taught Claus a thing or two about reading his brother's expression.

Denial. Doubt.

Disbelief.

Wide-eyed, Lucas lifted a hand to his forehead. "It can't be," he muttered. "I  _saw_  you. I  _talked_  to you." His voice turned confused. "You even waved me over..."

"That's impossible. I was at the baseball field the entire time." Claus patted him on the back. "You must've gotten confused and scrambled up your memories-"

"I wasn't dreaming," Lucas insisted. "Even if it wasn't you... I definitely saw someone that day, Claus." Lucas's expression turned desperate. "I wasn't there alone."

The rational part of Claus wanted to believe in coincidence.

The  _SANE_  part of Claus wanted to believe in coincidence. Correlation was  _not_  causation, and Claus wasn't someone who threw all his eggs into one basket.

But then, there was the sudden storm of kidnappings. The strange circumstances surrounding the car accident. Lucas's selective amnesia (coincidence of nature, or something else entirely?). Coupled with the strange warning his mother had imparted onto him in an even stranger dream Claus had had last week, one thing was obvious:

This was no ordinary accident.

Claus's stomach dropped. Was Ninten right? Could this really be the work of something supernatural?

Supposing it was... Supposing that someone  _had_  wanted Lucas dead... Claus clenched his fists. Someone had the nerve to play around with his brother's mind like a toy. Someone had purposely wanted Lucas dead, and had used  _his_  face to lure him into the trap. It was clever, malignant, and terrifying.

Whoever it was, this person shouldn't be underestimated.

Glancing at his brother, who was peering up at him in concern, Claus's blood ran cold. This accident might not be the end of all events. It could very well be the start of something bad.

And if so...

_What if the mastermind was still after them?_

Claus didn't know how or why this mastermind had sprung the trap. He didn't know anything about the mastermind - if such a mastermind existed - yet the mastermind seemed to know enough about them. He had known which weaknesses to hit, and it had almost cost Lucas his life.

Caught by a sense of urgency, Claus gripped his startled twin by the shoulders and searched his eyes. "Lucas, I wouldn't have called out to you if I'd known a truck was coming. I wouldn't _._ "

His brother's gaze softened. "I know."

Even with his reassurance, Claus spoke quickly under his breath, eyeing the windows with careful regard. "Look... I trust you. I have a hunch about something, something bad, but I'm not a hundred percent sure. From now on, I don't want you going somewhere alone. Wherever you go, we're going together."

Lucas frowned, catching onto his brother's panic. "Why?"

A part of Claus had hoped that Lucas wouldn't ask. Now he felt that part wither and die.

His younger brother was too perceptive for his own good.

"Someone might be after you. Or me." He paused. Those words sounded less ridiculous and fanciful inside his own head. "Uh, or it might be nothing. I could just be paranoid. God, I  _really_  hope it's nothing, but right now, I wanna keep our guard up. A few people've gone missing while you were out, and I have a feeling that something's underway." Claus's eyes flickered back to the window as if expecting the said  _mastermind_  to crawl in. "Before the accident, did you remember feeling uncomfortable about anything? Anything in particular?"

Lucas hesitated, then shook his head. "Not really. I remember feeling scared at some point, but I can't seem to remember that far back." He threw Claus an apologetic look. "I think the accident took a toll on my memory. I've pretty much forgotten everything I'd learned on the first day of class."

"Oh." Claus swallowed hard, trying not to look disappointed. "That's fine."

Uncertainty began to creep into Lucas's voice. "Claus... maybe you're right." He exhaled a shaky breath. "What if I  _did_  lose my memory?"

"You'll get it back."

Lucas didn't sound convinced. "Something tells me that I've lost it for good."

"A good thing then," Claus said sharply. "You shouldn't have to remember that."

"But you did."

Claus swallowed. "It... It's fine."

"You don't sound fine to me-" Lucas said uncertainly.

"It's fine!"

A pause. "I scared you badly, didn't I?" When Claus didn't respond, Lucas's expression wavered. His soft voice cracked. "I-I'm scared too."

Hearing the ripple of fear in his younger brother's voice, Claus panicked, scrunching his face into a scowl. "Hey, uh... don't be, stupid!" he snapped, ruffling Lucas's hair so hard that Lucas grimaced. "It's just  _one_  day of your life. It's not like you forgot your entire life history or some bogus. And for the record, I wasn't scared!"

"I almost died. I saw things. I saw  _mom_."

"You're weird."

"I did," Lucas insisted. His face fell. "Well, it felt real."

"I did too. Dream about mom." Surprised, Lucas closed his mouth. Feeling his own cheeks burn in embarrassment, Claus kept his eyes glued on his feet. "It was just a dream though, Lucas."

"We shared  _dreams?"_  Lucas said in a hushed voice.

"I guess we did."

"What a weird coincidence."

"What if it wasn't coincidence?" Feeling Lucas's curious eyes on him, Claus felt his own throat dry up, and nervous, began to play with his own fingers. "What if it's... magic?"

His younger brother blankly stared at him.

Feeling stupid for bringing it up, Claus flushed and waved a hand aside in a feeble attempt to save his dignity. "B-But that's stupid. Psychic powers don't exist."

A look of immense concentration flashed through Lucas's face before Lucas lifted his right hand into the air. "PK Shield," he whispered.

A tiny hexagonal spark blossomed at the tip of his index finger, expanding into the air like a holographic snowflake.

Claus cursed, back-pedaling back onto the bed. "What the fuck-"

Lucas gave a jolt of guilt. "Sorry, I should've warned you-"

 _It's okay_.

Lucas's eyes widened. "Claus, did you-"

His older brother grinned. "Yeah. I figured that this telepathy thing could work both ways. Before I passed out at the hospital, I heard your voice, but I thought my mind was playing tricks on me." Claus shifted his gaze. "And then last night... That was you again, wasn't it?"

Lucas looked embarrassed at being caught. "Sorry, you looked like you were about to have a nightmare, and I didn't want to intrude, but-"

"Thanks," Claus said sincerely.

Lucas studied him closely. Registering the look of gratitude on his face, he relaxed. "What do you think brothers are for?"

Experimentally, Claus opened and closed his own palm. As if he'd downed an entire chocolate bar, he felt strangely hyperaware of his senses, feeling immense psychic power thrumming though his body in waves. Strange words instinctively caught on his breath, floating in his mind like an arsenal ready to be used.

**_PK... PK... PK..._ **

Claus let loose a disgruntled noise. "Great. So I guess that means we're both abnormal freaks."

"We can't tell anyone else," Lucas said, anxious. "You're right. If there  _really_  is someone out there who wants to abuse this power-"

Claus abruptly cut him off by throwing an arm around his younger brother's shoulders and looping him in a tight hug. Lucas emitted a squeak of surprise; Claus absolutely  _loathed_  hugs, and Lucas remembered all too well how his brother's face used to scrunch up every time their mother kissed them good night on the forehead.

"Claus...?" Lucas whispered, blinking up in confusion.

Closing his eyes, Claus shook his head, tightening his grip. "Forget about it." Agitated PSI crackled at the soles of his bare feet. "If anything happens, I promise, this time won't be like the last. I won't let you be... You won't be alone."

Spotting his brother's drooping eyelids, Lucas gently poked him in the back. "Go to bed, Claus. You sound tired."

Yawning, Claus rubbed his eyes. "I am."

"How tired?"

"Really tired."

"...Wanna sleep over tonight?"

"Only if you want to."

Getting the hint, Lucas scooted back on his mattress to offer more space, curling his back up against the wall. Taking the silent invitation in a heartbeat, Claus gratefully crawled into the sheets, then wrapped his arms around his brother like an additional security blanket.

With a quiet breath, Lucas closed his eyes. "Good night."

"Sleep tight."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite."

"Good night..."

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Six**_ ~

_**Oncoming Foe** _

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* * *

It was time.

Pokey clambered out of bed, piling the sheets to the side. Poking his head out of his bedroom, he checked that Picky was out for the count before giving a derisive snort. His younger brother was annoying to begin with, but nowadays, Picky seemed to be stepping over that line.

Picky was getting too nosy for his own good.

And Pokey hated nosy people.

He stopped at the foot of the stairs. Nothing was different. His parents were waiting for him in the half-sunken couch. Artificial blue light washed over their pasty faces as the TV blared with the high-pitched warble of a dramatic sitcom. Without turning his head from the couch, Mr. Minch spoke.

"Fork it over."

With fumbling fingers, Pokey shoved the wad of bills into his father's hands. It was only then both his parents paid him any attention. A greedy glint entered their eyes at the sight of any money grubbing.

The arrangement was simple.

Pokey gave them cash. They left him alone.

A hard look suddenly overshadowed his father's face. "Hum hum, only two hundred. What happened to the other fifty?"

Bottom chin wobbling, Pokey shook his head. He knew better than to take some money for his own since the first time round. Or at least, Pokey'd gotten smarter at swiping his own stash.

"I-I don't have any more."

His father studied him, squinting at him with small piggy eyes. Then to Pokey's relief, the man bought the bait, presumptuously stuffing the bills into his pocket. "Run off to your rendezvous. But be back by ten! I don't want the damn police swarming my home."

Without another glance or farewell, the obese man returned his attention to the TV.

Releasing the breath he hadn't known he was holding, Pokey scrambled outside in his brand new shoes.

Even at night, the city of Onett stayed wide awake. Lamp lights twinkled - bright, shimmering pinpricks in the gloom of darkness. Streets came to life in a cacophonous concerto, with the roar of speeding cars and noisy honking of the interstate drowning out any other sound. Rubbing his hands against the Autumn chill, Pokey trudged six blocks down, then pushed his way into the bar.

 _ **Jackie's**_  bar was known for its atmosphere. Its sparkling transom windows seemed to give off a golden glow that spoke of drinks and cheer. In the front, the bar showcased its fair share of stereotypical customers: honest men who indulged in a drink too far with friends, or the entourage of workers dealing their hand in poker. However, the farther back an adventurous soul dared to venture, the more obvious this stark contrast became. The private tables in the back hadn't aged well with the rest of the cafe.

When the jingle of bells announced Pokey's arrival, the bartender -  _a swanky man with a gleaming mullet_  - raised his eyes in his direction. In the shadow of his wine glasses hanging on their hooks, the lapel on his coat proudly gleamed the name,  _Leo_.

"You're a lil underage to drink, short fry."

Pokey ignored him. "I'm here for a private transaction. Down in the back."

"The private booths aint no place for a kid like you. You're a minor."

Pokey slid a twenty on the counter.

Frowning now, the man drew a long drag of his cigar, sprinkling ash onto the counter. "You tryin' to bribe me? Forget about it. I'm not getting into trouble with da police. Now get out of here with ya dirty money-"

"He's with me. The usual. Only a glass will do."

A hand tapped Pokey on the shoulder before the figure himself brushed past him into the back. When Leo flashed him a dirty look, Pokey shrugged innocently before following suit, shutting the doors of the private booth behind him.

Already waiting for him, his client watched him closely like a god of death. The overhang of a beam covered their face in shadow.

Eyeing the faded gray table in disgust, Pokey took his seat.

They were both liars. Liars and frauds.

His client sounded tired. "What do you want from me now?"

Pokey clenched his fists. "I'm here for my rightful compensation. You promised to pay me."

"I paid you what I promised."

"It's not enough!"

"A deal is a deal."

Pokey clenched his teeth, lowering his voice into a hushed whisper. "I thought you were just going to rough him up. I didn't think you were gonna  _kill_  someone. I didn't sign up for  _this_  when I agreed to spy for you-"

"He's alive."

Pokey stiffly jerked his head up. "What?"

There was a break in convo as a grumpy Leo ushered over with an empty glass and full bottle in hand. Once the bartender made his exit, with a word of thanks and lifting the glass in a silent toast -  _though Pokey didn't seem to share the sentiment_  - the person sitting across from him remained expressionless. "Our Peeping Tom. He's alive. They released him from the hospital last week."

All the color escaped from Pokey's face. "I knew it. He's gonna tell on me. You've got to do something-!"

The glass of bourbon interrupted him with a  _thunk_  on the wooden table. "No. We do nothing."

Pokey looked at the silhouette in disbelief. "Are you mental?"

"I am." The figure paused as if appreciating an inside joke, before addressing him again. "Lucas serves no threat. His memory is impaired... Coincidentally. Now, onto the discussion of your payment-" Pokey perked up in his seat. "You haven't told me anything useful."

"I already have! I found you that girl-"

"She's not the one I'm looking for. I've felt traces of magic in the school. She can't be the only psychic in the city. There are more." Pokey felt those eyes linger on his face. "...You're hiding something from me."

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are." Pokey could feel that stare probe him. "I have eyes everywhere. Everywhere, except inside the school. I can't search students without arousing suspicion. This is where you come in."

"Are you crazy? I told you, I'm not hiding anything!"

The voice turned cold. "I certainly hope so, for your sake and for mine."

Feeling like his knees had turned into jello, Pokey clamped his jaw shut.

"Find the psychic children, and I'll reward you generously. If I find that you've lied to  _mE-"_  The pupils flickered. Something about those eyes unsettled Pokey to no end. "You'll lose much more than money."

Pokey tried to swallow down his fear. He couldn't find the voice to speak.

On that pleasant note, a handful of coins clattered onto the table, and the shadow disappeared into the night.

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~oO0Oo~

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Morning on a school day.

It was the usual drill: Wake up, dress up, then pray to all the gods above that he hadn't missed the sorry bus.

Cramming the last piece of bread into his mouth, Ness checked his watch from the corner of his eye and almost choked.

Already? Where did all the time go?!

"Tmmssie, hubby ub!"

"What?" his sister yelled from upstairs. "I can't hear what you're saying!"

With difficulty, Ness swallowed. "Hurry up! We need to catch the friggin bus," he shouted back, albeit so loudly that even fat, lazy King had perked up his ears. The dog raised his head with a  _look._  Without skipping a beat, Ness winced and tipped his hat in apology.

_Sorry, King._

_Awoo is forgiven,_  King yawned, scratching at an itch with a hind leg.

"Ness, inside voices," his mother said, poking her head out from the kitchen. Ness groaned, but made sure that it was quiet enough to get under the dreaded  _mom radar._

Little siblings had it easy. Whenever something went wrong -  _poof! -_  Big Brother was always the culprit, rebuked for "not being responsible enough" or "not acting as a good role model." Still, Ness knew better than to complain out loud, and wisely clamped back any other complaints about his younger sister.

Then again, he should know better than to shout like an obnoxious foghorn at six in the morning.

Ness let out another frustrated groan. "I'm not kidding, Trace!  _Hurry your butt up-"_

"Coming!"

Tiny feet pounded down the stairs before his younger sister emerged, her hair disheveled, her sparkling  _Where's WaLuigi_  backpack dancing onto her back. "Augh, you're so bossy! Do you talk to your teachers with that mouth?"

In no mood to humor her with an answer, Ness rolled his eyes and headed for the front door-

"Don't forget your packed lunches!"

Right.

Doubling back, Ness snatched the bento boxes from the counter. "Thanks, mom. See you after school."

Grabbing his baseball bat on his way out, Ness dived out the door in a sprint. Panting for breath, Tracy materialized next to him, struggling to keep up. "Hey, you weirdo! What's the rush?"

Ness kept a straight face. "I don't want to miss the bus."

"If you wanna chat with your friends, you can wait 'til lunch, Nessie." Tracy made a face. "Loser. I can't believe I'm stuck with you today because mom can't drive me to school." Tracy pointed. "Why are you carrying that bat around?"

 _I accidentally brought it home from school._  "Because," Ness said instead.

"Why do you like baseball?"

"Because."

"Why are you such a dork?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Ness countered.

Tracy stuck out her tongue, stubbornly pushing through with another question. "Why did you drag me out so early?"

Ness kept walking forward to the stop sign. "I wanted to check on Paula."

Tracy frowned. "Why?"

"She hasn't come to class since Monday. I haven't heard back from her about our study sessions... or anything at all," he frowned, checking the street both ways before crossing with his sister. "I wanted stop by earlier, but I had to help Lucas out with homework last week-"

"She might be sick."

"For over a week?"

"Well..." Tracy's smirk now transformed into worry. "You're right. Paula freaks out whenever she misses school..." They walked past the fountain of an Angel bearing the sign  _Twoson Square,_  and Tracy hurried her pace to catch up to her brother's strides. "I hope she's okay."

"We're already in the neighborhood. Can't hurt to check on her. See if she needs anything," Ness finished.

Tracy sighed, knowing a losing argument when she saw one. "Guess so." She crossed her arms. "But don't start serenading her or do anything mushy in front of my face. Save that stuff elsewhere when I'm not busy barfing-"

"Tracy-"

"What? It's not like she's  _really_  your girlfriend-"

"Shhh!" Ness shoved her into the nearest bush.

"Ow, ow! What was that for?" Tracy whined as branches tangled into her hair. "Sensitive much? I mean, geez, you know I'm just joking _-"_

"Get down."

"But why-"

Ness placed a finger to his lips to shush her, then pointed at the house right in front of them. Two people stood on the driveway. From where they were crouching, Tracy caught snatches of a hysterical conversation.

"-discovered no traces of her. And you say she hasn't contacted you...?"

"No!" the distraught woman cried. "Paula's a good girl. She wouldn't run away without... well, telling us!"

"Ma'am, we'll do our best to find her-"

"My poor girl, my sweet baby girl-" Paula's mother choked off. "Missing for over f-five days... I knew I should've called her after school to check if she arrived home safe and s-s-sound..."

With a sigh, the policeman placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, ma'am. You did the right thing to contact us." He adjusted the hat on his head. "You never know with teens these days. Who knows, Paula might return home on her own. But until that's the case, we'll keep you updated on her whereabouts. _"_  With a last tip of the hat and a  _ma'am_ , the man strolled down the street. Heartbroken beyond what words could describe, Paula's mother finally closed the door.

"Paula's gone  _missing_?" Ness whispered, dumbstruck. He stood up, brushing the leaves from his hair. "Something's wrong, Trace. You can't deny that."

Tracy's eyes widened. "What, you think someone just snatched her off the street in broad daylight?"

Ness tensed up at her suggestion, squeezing his fists so tightly that they turned white. "You know that Paula wouldn't have gone down without a fight."

"That's what makes me worried," Tracy muttered. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "She's got these psychic powers like you do..."

"Exactly." Something dark caught the corner of his eye, and Ness frowned. Whatever it was, it was lodged between the brambles of the nearest rose bush. Ness squinted, but still, under the shadows of the leaves, he couldn't make the object out.

Hastily glancing around once, Ness snapped his fingers.

"PK Flash," he whispered. A controlled ball of light floated from his fingers, illuminating the object in question.

His little sister tugged on his sleeve. "Ness," Tracy hissed in fear. "I don't think you should be doing that..."

But her brother paid her warning no attention. With utmost care, Ness tugged something red free from the rose thorns. The singed piece of cloth looked strangely familiar...

Ness almost dropped the ripped ribbon from shock. "Th-This is Paula's," he stammered. "But how-?"

 _"NESS,"_  his younger sister shrieked, yanking him down.

Something bright and  _really_  hot grazed Ness's cheek, forcing him flinch on contact. From instinct, his hands flew to his face, and Ness winced when he accidentally slapped the sensitive skin around the shallow burn.

As if triggered by the same sequence of events, a low beeping erupted into his ears.

What are you doing?" Tracy cried out when Ness whipped around, trying to locate the sound.

"Don't you hear that?"

"Hear  _WHAT?"_

Stuffing Paula's ribbon into his pocket, Ness seized his sister's hand and dragged them out of the neighborhood into the nearest forest. Tracy yelped at the sudden speed, but thankfully didn't stumble, barely managing to keep the pace as they dove deeper into the foliage.

Trees blurred over their heads. Their shoes splashed across a gurgling brook. Panicked breathing hit their ears.

Then something solid  _thunked_  into the muddy ground.

Ness screeched to a halt, protectively sweeping an arm in front of his sister as several strange figures obstructed his path. Their skin glinted with an odd sheen of silver; their movements, eerily stiff.

**"PSI DETECTED IN A TWENTY METER RADIUS."**

Drones.

Glancing around, Ness cursed. Seven of them had appeared, surrounding the pair on all sides. Running away wasn't an option. There were too many trees for Ness to risk a PK Teleport.

Wide-eyed, Tracy stepped back, clinging onto his arm like a lifeline. "Ness, what are these things...?"

"Tracy, stay behind me," Ness ordered, appraising his foes before drawing out his baseball bat. "I don't know what they want, but whatever it is, it can't be good."

The nearest robot lurched forward. It trudged close enough that Ness could read a label,  ** _Starman_ ,** encarved into its metallic torso.

**"SOURCE IDENTIFIED. APPREHEND TARGET."**

Ness swung his bat forward with unsteady fingers. His hands shook from the warning strike. "...Stay away from me."

 **"TARGET NOT SUBMISSIVE. FORCE WILL BE-"**  Reinforced with magic, with an unknown strength coursing through his arms, Ness smashed his baseball bat into the Starman, crumpling its torso in like a soda can.  **"U-u-USed."**

Without second thought, Ness jabbed the wooden weapon into the "face" of a second and swung it down, creaming the Starman in the shoulder. Unable to handle the sudden pressure, the bat protested and splintered into two. As the wrecked Starman fell, another cast its PK beam at him, which Ness narrowly blocked with a PK Shield. He grimaced as the force of the beam dragged his feet backwards into the dirt, bruising his ankles.

Losing any doubt of holding back, Ness let his power explode.

" _PK Rockin'_ ," he yelled, shooting out his palm. A holographic guitar materializing in his hands, Ness fumbled around for the perfect grip before strumming its strings.

A blast of perfect harmony.

A major chord.

At the explosive scream of metal music, three Starmen rippled like puppets on a guitar string before sheer psychic power and the speed of sound tore them into smithereens.

But with a sudden drop in stamina came nausea, and Ness doubled over, dry-heaving on his knees.  _Ugh,_   _I haven't used my magic in **ages-**_

"AUGH! Leggo of me, you monsters!"

Ness whirled around to see his sister struggling in the iron grasp of the sixth Starman. "Tracy!" Desperate now, Ness concentrated his power into his finger. "PK Flash!"

The Starman, now paralyzed, jittered and fell flat on its face. Wriggling free, Tracy wasted no time to react, picking up a sharp rock and bashing it against the cracked masked visor. On her fifth try, the rock punched a hole through the weak chink, cutting through a tangle of circuits. With a hiss of acrid smoke, the Starman pooled onto the dirt in a mix of nuts and bolts.

"T-Thanks," Tracy gasped, panting for breath.

"Don't mention it-"

A sharp crunch of branches erupted behind them.

Ness recoiled-

Too late.

With a sickening crack, a hot, excruciating pain tore through Ness's side. By saving his sister, Ness had left his guard wide open, leaving him vulnerable to the last Starman's assault. Crashing into the dirt, Ness writhed as one of his ribs gave way.

The Starman tilted its helmet down. Deconstructing its arm in a matter of seconds, an impressive array of tranquilizer darts honed into his target.  **"CALCULATING TRAJECTORY..."**

"Oh no, you don't!" Tracy yelled, smacking the Starman with a wayward branch to grab its attention. Shaking off its confusion, the murderous machine swung its expressionless face her way.

"T-Tracy..."

"It's okay! I got it, I go- wOAH-" Scrambling backwards, Tracy squeaked when she accidentally tripped over a tree root. Transfixed in horror, she lifted her head, watching the Starman about to blast her to oblivion-

Spitting out blood, Ness wrenched himself up to his knees. This had gone too far.

"PK Rockin'!" he roared one more, yanking a fist down from the heavens.

The  _speed-of-sound_  attack was weaker than the first, the music more discordant, but the flurry of musical notes was enough to dismantle the last Starman. Electricity buzzing through its cut wires, the Starman buckled with a groan.

**"Y-YOU WILL NO-T ES-CAPe..."**

On that unsettling note, the Starman shut down. Its crimson eyes dimmed to a dull gray.

The threat to their lives gone, Ness collapsed onto his hands, sweat pouring down his dust-matted hair. He gritted his teeth through his cracked lips, gasping as the throb of his broken ribs mercilessly stabbed at his sides. Agony like never before tore into his sides when he moved, and involuntarily, he cried out, dropping to the ground.

"Ness!" Tracy screamed, diving over. Her figure swam in his vision. With shaky hands, Tracy fumbled for her dropped phone, stammering all the while, "Big bro, w-wait just a sec, okay? I-I'm calling 911-"

"Don't."

Tracy gawped at him, frozen in terror.

Trying to ignore the pain with a grunt, Ness focused his energy from his palm to his chest. "L-LifeUp."

A cool refreshing pulse washed through his body, soothing his troubled mind. Feeling the magic mend his ribs and wash away his pain, Ness relaxed with a relieved sigh, rolling his shoulders to relieve the kink in his neck.

"Ness...?" Tracy began to sink into the verge of hysteria. "NESS?"

"Tracy, calm down. I'm okay," he reassured her, clambering upright onto his wobbly knees.

Watching him limp over, Tracy eyed each step he took. "Are you really okay?" she whispered, staring at his blood-caked fingers. "Maybe we should call mom-"

 _"No!"_  Ness glared at her. "It's our secret, remember? Mom can't know about my powers."

"You broke your ribs!"

"The more mom knows, the more likely she'd get hurt too, Trace."

"But-"

"Do you want mom to  _die?"_  Ness said hoarsely, shooting her a look of intense pain that his sister involuntarily stepped backwards. "Is that what you want?"

Tracy dropped her gaze to the ground. "Then... what about dad?"

Scrunching his eyes shut, Ness shook his head. "Not him too. It's bad enough that you found out last year."

Before he knew it, Ness found himself sprawling back into the dirt when Tracy caught him in a flying tackle. Bewildered, Ness blinked, feeling small arms wrap around his neck in a death-grip. Craning his neck over, Ness was alarmed to see that Tracy was violently shivering, clutching his body in broken sobs. With a weak smile, Ness raised a hand to pat her on the head. "Tracy-"

"You dumbass! You really scared me," Tracy cried, fisting his shirt. "I thought they, you... thought they killed..."

"It's okay," Ness said softly, pointing at his dirt-matted shirt. "I healed myself, see?"

As if his answer had no effect, Tracy buried her face into his shirt and refused to let go. Shaking her head in a high-pitched whimper, she only clung onto his shirt tighter.

Ness's expression softened; his injury must have rattled her quite soundly. Carefully, Ness disentangled her hands from his shirt, then placed one of her hands against his side. "Feel that? My ribs healed up." Ness's eyes confidently looked into hers. "I'm okay, Trace."

Afraid that her brother was possibly deceiving her, Tracy hesitantly probed his side, poking the once-fractured bone before she nodded, withdrawing from him in dissipating worry. Tracy sniffled, rubbing the tears away from her eyes. Pulling out a soft handkerchief from his bag, Ness pulled her closer, gently dabbing her face clean.

Releasing a shaky snort, Tracy batted his hands away. "I'm not three, Ness. I can do it myself," she said in a rather muffled voice, raising her arms to wipe the last of her tears.

With a sigh, Ness stumbled to his feet, raking his legs against the dirt-sprawled twigs and pebbles. Exhaustion shook his limbs, but Ness managed to hold out a hand to his sister. "We need to get out of here. Another attack is the last thing I want."

Tracy said nothing, but nodded. Curling her fingers tightly around his rough palm like a clamp, she toddled over, following her brother into a wide-open clearing. Mustering the last of his intense concentration, Ness closed his eyes.

In a burst of ash, the two disappeared, leaving almost no trace of their existence.

Lying on the ground with its caved-in chest, a dying Starman buzzed weakly against the contraints of time. Its red eyes scrolled through the recorded scene.  **"SENDING... VIDEO FOOTAGE. FOOTAGE... SENT. COMMENCING SELF DES-TRUCT M-Ode..."**

In a shower of silver sparks, all of seven Starmen disintegrated into the ground, leaving the forest as green and tranquil as before.

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~oO0Oo~

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"What's up with the police today?"

"You noticed too? Yeah, they brought in the entire K-9 Unit during bio!"

"Come to think of it, Paula's gone missing, hasn't she?

"She has?"

"Yeah. Oh right, Lucas, you couldn't have known. Well, the entire school's pretty much gone anal about security after your accident. No kidding though. Kumatora definitely hasn't shown up in school for a solid month, and Paula disappeared about a week ago."

"Wonder what happened to them."

"Guess that's why the police stopped by. Heh, I thought they arrived to arrest  _you-"_

"Oh shaddup, Claus."

"Who are you telling to shaddup, you crackhead-"

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"...Ness?"

Ness snapped into attention. "Huh?"

"So, we were talking about the missing students, and-" Ninten trailed off. Ness looked drained; even his black hair seemed to have lost its customary shine, drooping with a lackluster energy. "Uh, nevermind. When's practice?"

"Oh. Next one's today, right after school. That reminds me... we need to replace one of coach's old bats. I accidentally broke it coming to school." Ness picked at his food. "Fuel's taking over practice today, 'cause I'm not feeling too well, so go ask him if you have any questions-"

Ninten threw his friend with an odd look. "Since when did  _you_  skip baseball?"

"Since today."

"Haha, very funny." Ninten watched him as if Ness had grown two heads. "Seriously, you've been out of it all day," he noted. "Like right now. You're trying to stab your steak with your spoon."

Ness looked down at his lunch box in surprise. "Whu...?" Hastily dropping his spoon, he grabbed his fork. At this point, even Claus had stopped in mid-chew to shoot him a suspicious glance.

"Ness, you're acting weird. Well,  _weirder_  than usual," Claus added, watching as Ness dropped his silverware for the second time that day.

Ness shook his head. "I'm just tired."

Claus's glare baked Ness's insides with a cold fire. "Do you honestly think we're stupid? We know you're not telling us something."

"I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong with me," Ness shot back. Not in the mood for food, he pushed his lunch away in poor taste. To their surprise, even mouthwatering steak didn't seem to do the trick; Ness looked both queasy and nauseous at the sight of his favorite food.

His three friends exchanged alarmed looks.

"Okay, something's  _definitely_  up," Ninten growled, clamping a hand on Ness's shoulder. "Go call your mom-"

"Ninten," Ness hissed, violently shrugging him off. "This isn't fifth grade. I don't need to call my effing mom!"

A smirk found its way on Claus's lips. "Childish much?"

Furious, Ness snapped his head up to argue, but luckily, a fourth voice interrupted the would-be argument.

"Ness."

Ness reluctantly faced the speaker. In contrast to his brother's, Lucas's eyes seemed to quench his frazzled nerves. "If you're not feeling well, it's not a problem. We can take you to the nurse."

Ness hesitated. For some reason, the shy twin seemed to crack open Ness's shell much more easily than Ninten's prodding, or  _(to no one's surprise)_  Claus's scowl. Maybe it was because Lucas always seemed in sync with timing, knowing when to back off and knowing when to say the right things at the right time.

But not today.

"I'm good, thanks," Ness gritted, feeling hard lie sink between his teeth. He forced down the guilt that rose up his throat when Lucas studied him with an unconvinced look, but despite his obvious displeasure, Lucas didn't pressure Ness any further.

"Ness, what-" Claus was cut off when Lucas elbowed him hard. They shared a wordless glance, then Claus dropped his head, continuing to eat his omelet with a disgruntled expression on his face.

"Twin telepathy," Ninten whispered, rolling his eyes at Claus, who was now sulking in his food. "I swear they can read each other's minds or something." Ninten shifted his gaze. "Are you  _sure_  that you're fine? Because you don't seem fine to-"

"I'm. Perfectly. Fine."

Ninten snorted. "As fine as anyone who shows up with ash on their clothes and dried blood on their face. Did you murder a chimney on the way here?" He shook his head, but dropped the subject when Ness shot him a murderous glare.

Sparing a brief glance over his shoulder, Ninten frowned, then lowered his voice. "Pokey's been standing there for the past minute."

Taken aback, Ness snapped his head up. True to Ninten's word, Pokey had paused with his lunch tray a a few feet away, awkwardly hovering by their end of the table.

An unreadable emotion flashed across Ness's face. Ness lowered his fork; his eyes flickered upwards, then paused, resting on Pokey's shoulder.

Then, in a gentle voice that surprised everyone, Ness spoke. "You... okay?"

Pokey's eyes widened before relaxing by a tiny fraction. His mouth quirked upwards as if sharing a private joke. "Never better." Then Pokey bustled away, leaving the entire lunch table to stew in stunned silence.

"What was that all about?" Claus whispered, confused eyes trailing after the bigger boy.

Lowering his head, Lucas quietly took in what he'd seen. For the rest of lunch, the insinuation of the bruise on Pokey's shoulder plagued his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clear up any confusion:
> 
> Sentence in quotation marks: "Talking."  
> Sentence in italics: Thinking/Telepathy.


	7. Misplaced Revenge

Pulling the brake on the old black hummer, Claus stowed away his keys and watched the dashboard dim in satisfaction. Repaired by Lighter before offered to his dad, this wasn't technically  _his_  truck, not by long shot, but it might as well carry his name. After turning to drink, Flint at least had the good sense not to drive often, if at all, with Lucas's hospital stay the only exception Claus had seen in a long time. Furthermore, the twins took the bus to school, and Duster offered Lucas rides home from their music lessons. As a result, no one else in the family drove.

Under neglect, Lighter's old truck would've broken down.  _Someone_  had to grease those wheels.

This was where Claus gladly kicked in.

Plenty of people he knew from school were already out driving with a permit. Hell, Kumatora had a driver's  _license_. Angie drove her mom's silver accord like a pro. Richie was promised her own car at eighteen. And for crying out loud, there wasn't a day or two thousand when Fuel  _hadn't_  boasted of his own "cool parallel parking skillz", though Claus was pretty sure that Lighter would've thrown a fit if he'd known that his own son was a millimeter away from trashing his truck.

But for Claus, driving meant freedom.

Having dibs on the only other copy of his dad's keys meant fun. It meant escapades around town, it meant midnight visits to sneak out with cool friends, it meant a drive to cool his temper after a shitty day and more. The wind in his face. The sun on his skin.

Occasionally -  _when he dared -_  he drove even farther. Out of the town into the city, then back.

The only downside, Claus thought, was refueling the tank -  _because gas money was a bitch_  - but Claus earned that money on his own. He hated babies more than he tolerated(?) Ness, but hey, he'd take his hours of babysitting toddlers in Tazmily any day for his stack of Benjamin Franks. Yen. DP. Whatever currency people used in Tazmzily these days.

"You shouldn't be driving. If the cops catch you, you'll get dad in trouble," Lucas said yet again when his brother ushered him out of the car.

 _"Relax,_  Lucas. I drive great. And you know, doctor's appointment, we were in a rush,  _yada yada yada_. I promise I won't drag the truck out next time, so don't tell dad... please? If he asks where we were, say we were just... I dunno. Say that Fuel and Lighter took us to the doctor or something."

Despite having his fair share of traumatic hospital experience, Claus found himself growing fond of the doctor. Doctor Nippolyte was a quaint little thing with a wispy beard. The longer Claus looked at him, the more likely the doctor looked like he was about to float away.

"Stretch your legs out - Good, good."

Claus watched his twin with anxious eyes. "How is he, doctor?"

"Good question. Let's find out," Nippolyte said not unkindly.

Lying down on the operation chair, Lucas looked beyond mortified at his brother's constant fretting.  _Claus, stop bothering the doctor-_

_I'm not bothering him. It's his job._

_You ask him the same question every time he makes me do an exercise._

Claus shot Lucas a disgruntled look, but said nothing to contradict him.

"Yes, yes. Well then. Everything seems to be in working order. Your brother's got a remarkable aptitude for recovery," Doctor Nippolyte said plainly, tapping Claus aside. "Except for that one time, Lucas... did have any more seizures over the past week?"

"No more seizures," Lucas reassured them.

"Right." Eyes flickering towards his brother, Claus didn't look very convinced. "Are you sure he's getting better?"

"He should be. His CT-scan doesn't show brain damage... which is good."

Claus hesitated. "And the seizures?"

"It's hard to say, because Lucas is a bit of a unique case," the doctor hummed. "But if I have to hazard a guess - Lucas, you might have a mild form of PTSD... though from your brother's account, your symptoms lean more heavily towards partial retrograde amnesia," Doctor Nippolyte said, gesturing at Lucas to sit upright again. "I can't say if you'll ever recover your lost memories, but it looks like the worst of the storm has passed. If you haven't had any more seizures, you should be good to go." Reassured by those words, Claus relaxed in his chair, letting out a sigh of relief. "Lucas, you have slight muscle fatigue, but that should be gone within a month or two of exercise."

Out of childish curiosity, Lucas wiggled one of his shoes on. "Do I need to take anything?"

"Advil for headache, but no prescriptions. If you get another seizure within the next month or two, make an appointment with the neurologist... but you seem to be perfectly fine." Mystified, the doctor shook his head. "Broken bones mending themselves in mere days... I've never seen anything like this in my 42 years of practice. Good genes must run in your family."

Lucas tried not to look nervous. "...I guess so."

"Well, we'd better get going! Lots of homework to do," Claus added hurriedly, dragging his brother out of the examination room by the hand. "Thanks, doc!"

Unfazed by the speed of their departure, the doctor picked up his fallen papers and stacked them back into his clipboard with another absentminded hum.

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Seven**_ ~

_**Misplaced Revenge** _

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* * *

Between the two of them, Ninten always joked that Ness would live longer because he never bickered with a certain red-headed demon.

Now, Ninten was starting to worry. Ever since the cafeteria fiasco, Ness began to close himself off.

It was happening again.

So Ninten tried. He tagged along Ness's heels like a lost puppy. He cracked stupid attempts at punny humor to distract him, yanked on the bill of his hat, whined obnoxiously about everything that happened in school... basically, he did anything to deter Ness from spiraling back to his brooding state. It probably wasn't the most subtle way to go about doing things, but if Ness was ever annoyed by his antics, he never said it. Even Lucas did his best to accommodate by not only listening, but also  _talking_  to pull the Ness out of his shell. While the two boys failed to do both, Ness seemed to relax more in their company.

On the other hand, while Claus was sociable when he  _actually_  put in the effort, this potential saving grace was downplayed by his abrasive attitude. Over the past few days, Claus constantly pointed out irregularities in Ness's behavior regardless of tact, and it was all Ninten could do not to strangle this knucklehead because  _dammit_ _Claus, you're not helping!_

Yeah. Ninten hadn't missed the scorching,  _mother-of-all-things-unholy_  glare the two stubborn-headed idiots kept shooting at each other. God, if Lucas hadn't been here, Claus probably would've already blown their friendship apart with a gasket.

The upcoming argument seemed inevitable.

However, while Ness refused to open up about whatever was bothering him, Claus had simply shrugged the behavior off. With this thought in mind, Ninten fervently hoped for the best.

For a while, Ninten got his wish. Monday rolled into Tuesday and Wednesday without a hitch.

Then came Thursday.

When the bell rang for recess, signaling the end of Physics, Doctor Andonuts raised his voice louder over the rustle of students and zipping of bags, "-and that concludes our unit on circular motion. Remember to turn in your homework on pages 103-104, #1-55 odd, to class tomorrow-"

"Ugh,  _physics,_ " Ninten moaned before slumping out of the classroom like a dog retreating with his tail between his legs. "Kill me now-"

"You say that about every class," Claus pointed out, nabbing his own rucksack from his locker. Ness and Lucas greeted them in the hall, having ended their last class in biology ten minutes earlier, before joining them at the courtyard.

Above the babble of students, Ninten continued to complain. "So? Physics is  _hard,_  and E&M is  _boring_."

"That's cause you put hardly any effort into it-"

"Easy for you to say. You're the number whiz." Ninten wrinkled his nose. "Math is gross."

Claus cracked a smirk at that. "Well, whaddaya know? Some of us actually like to think with something called a  _brain."_

"And some of us actually have a 101.3% in English," Ninten countered, smirking back when Claus's face fell. "Pray tell, what do  _you_  have?"

Triggered, Claus whirled around to toss in his two cents, and Ninten snickered. "That class is total BS! Like, how the fuck is the color  _red_  supposed to symbolize  _bloody_   _love_  or whatever the fuck the author wants-"

"Do not underestimate the beauty of ye olde English, young grasshopper."

"Lay off it, you two. That's enough English bashing for one day," Lucas intervened, and Ninten tried to hide a snort when Claus perked up at his brother's voice.

To Ninten's own detriment, the noise clearly hadn't gone unheard, because Claus whipped back around with a terrifying grin, forcing Ninten into a headlock. Caught red-handed, Ninten gave a wail of despair as Claus mercilessly roughhoused around. "Guys, help!"

"I dare you to snort at me again."

"SOS to Lucas! Your twin brother's being a major pain in the -  _oww-"_

Unfortunately for Ninten's cries for backup, Lucas was preoccupied with someone else. "Are you looking for something?"

Ness snapped out of his reverie. "Huh? Oh... Not really."

Lucas looked concerned, but didn't press the issue. And everything would've been fine if they'd left that can of worms unopened at the front door.

But of course, today wasn't Ninten's lucky day.

"Sure. It's nothing," Claus said sarcastically, finally releasing a gasping Ninten from a hardcore noogie session. "Ness, face it. You've been eyeing every door like some madman's gonna to plow through in a murderous frenzy."

Ness laughed with a feeble bravado. "That's an oddly specific way to put it-"

"-and now, you're changing the subject," Claus sighed. "You know, you're a worse liar than Lucas is under pressure. And trust me, that says a  _lot."_

Ness flushed. But to his credit, he didn't back down, shooting Claus a pointed  _mind-your-own-business_  look of his own.

Feeling sympathy for his oldest friend, Ninten stifled a wince. A ticked off Claus wasn't a force to be reckoned with. All the same, Ninten had to admit that the way Ness's eyes kept flickering from place to place like someone was after him was more than a little disarming.

"I hate to agree, but you  _have_  been acting odd for the past few days," Ninten hesitantly started, and startled, Ness faced him. "Did something happen?"

Ness averted his eyes to punch in his locker combination. "I already told you,  _nothing's wrong,"_  he gritted out.

"Okay, cut the crap," Claus leaned against the lockers to squint at into his face, almost side-to-side. "Forget  _odd,_  Ness. You've been goddaamn  _paranoid._  If I didn't know better, I would've guessed that you were on the run from something-"

Ness stiffened up.

Uncertain with how to mitigate the tension, Ninten closed his mouth, looking uncomfortable with where this conversation was heading.

Luckily, Lucas was sharp enough to catch the warning signs. As if sensing Ness's vast discomfort, he spoke up, trying to avert the crisis before it happened. "Recess is almost over. Let's talk this out another-"

"No _."_  Claus narrowed his eyes. "We're gonna talk this out right now."

_Claus, what are you doing?!_

_Stay out of this, Lucas._

Ness slammed the locker with enough force that it rebounded off its hinges. His unsettled eyes seemed to give off a dangerous violet glow. "Claus, _leave me alone_. It's nothing, okay?"

Claus gave into a bitter laugh. "Well Ness, if you ask me, it certainly doesn't look like a whole load of  _nothing._  You know it's not healthy to bottle things in, so talk it out-"

"Right. Because  _you_  did when Lucas got hit by a semi."

Blood roared in Claus's ears.  _Oh, hell no. He didn't just go there!_

 _Calm down, Claus. Ness hasn't been himself lately,_ his brother's voice whispered in his mind, trying to convince him.  _Give him some time._

Lucas had inadvertently fueled the fire.

Betrayal slapped Claus in the face. Of course, Lucas would choose his best friend over him. Of course, Lucas would tell  _him_  to calm down. Jealousy, hot and prickling, seared through Claus's veins.

Slamming the mental walls down on his brother's voice, Claus fixed Ness with his best  _batman-esque_  scowl that would've made even the manliest man cower and whimper for mommy. "Well, excuse me for actually being worried over my brother's fucking health-"

"Give me a break," Ness yelled, whirling around to confront him. "I was just as worried about Lucas as you were, but look, at least I didn't act like a complete dick to my friends!"

A pair of shoes accidentally slipped over the tiles.

Fucking wide-eyed, Claus looked like Ness had slapped him in the face.

In an instant, Ness's expression turned from  _pissed off_ to  _petrified._  Ness fumbled for more words, but the damage had already been done. "Wait. Claus, I didn't mean to say-"

"Oh, I think you meant plenty." Ness flinched. Claus's voice was  _dripping_  with venom. "What the hell is going on, Ness?!"

Backing into the lockers, Ness sounded panicked. "I said I'm fine!"

"Fine,  _my ass!"_

"When I say that I'm fine,  _I'm fine,_ okay?"

"I swear to god, if you say that you're fine one more fucking time, I'm gonna-"

"Claus, leave him alone. Ness will talk when he's ready," Lucas cut off, his voice as quiet as his brother's was loud, and Claus stopped as if almost awed by his own brother's audacity. From behind Claus's back, Ness shot Lucas a look of gratitude, but it was quickly lost in Claus's impending frustration.

"When he's ready? Are you serious?!" Claus fixed his snarl on his brother, gripping him by the shoulders. "And when will that be, huh? Another month? One year? _"_

"Lay off him," Ness snapped, shoving Claus away. "He's done nothing to you!"

"Are you an idiot? Lucas  _knows_  that you're lying. The only reason he's not saying it to your face is because he's too nice to say so!"

"Listen, I don't have to tell  _you_  everything I goddamn feel!" As if grasping for straws, Ness threw Lucas a silent plea. "Lucas, back me up here."

Lucas shrank away from their forceful stares, suddenly finding himself in a very uncomfortable position. "Guys, leave me out of this," he tried. "Let's work this out together-"

"If Ness stopped being such a stubborn jackass and actually  _said_  what's happened, then we wouldn't be having this problem in the first place," Claus said nastily, rounding on his brother.  _"Tell him, Lucas."_

"Says the jackass himself. Lucas, it's okay to say that you don't agree with your brother. Besides," He eyed Claus with equal loathing. " _Someone's_ got to say it."

"I... I-I-" Lucas stammered.

"Lucas isn't gonna side with either of you, because  _both_  of you are dickheads," Ninten snapped, marching in front of him to shove both boys aside. The two fixed their glares onto him, but Ninten fiercely glowered back. "Yeah, that's right, I'm sick and tired of you snarling at each other. Stop being so petty and grow up. What are you, three?"

When both boys opened their mouths to retort, the bell rang. Without another word, they whirled around, storming off into opposite directions.

"...Thanks," Lucas said quietly.

Ninten's heart constricted into a painful knot.

What the hell just happened?

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~oO0Oo~

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After the big blow-up, Ness seemed to have reverted back to his social self. He'd still ramble on about video games with a passion enough to fill a twenty-page report, and on the baseball field, he was still their goodnatured captain who batted out shitty dad jokes on the fly.

But Ninten wasn't fooled. He'd known Ness longer than either of the twins, and caught onto the signs.

Any talk with Ness sounded terribly forced. Ness never started conversations anymore, tending to brood and stew in his own thoughts until someone else addressed him, at which he would perk up and pull out his cheery facade.

If the twins noticed anything, they didn't show it. Claus, while never originally the type to dig around in someone else's personal matters, had refused to acknowledge the gap Ness had left behind in their friendship dynamic. Lucas, albeit observant, was incredibly shy of causing further confrontation between his two simmering friends.

Furthermore, what was even more troublesome, Lucas seemed to suffer from sudden bouts of weakness; any hard physical activity quickly left him shaking and out of breath. Every time Ninten pointed it out, the youngest twin kept waving away his concerns, claiming that he was feeling much better. However, Ninten's worries weren't alleviated whenever he saw Claus supporting his brother up the stairs.

Ninten didn't understand.

Why was everyone trying to pretend that everything was fine?!

Once again, school ended on a depressing note. Ninten heaved his bag over his shoulder. From the looks of it, Ness had already gone home for the day, and Lucas had left for private choir tutoring. Waiting for his ride, Ninten had just strolled outside when he spotted a tall, lanky figure leaning against the school fence. He'd run up to the idiot, ready to give Claus an earful when he realized that Claus was staring into space.

Frowning, Ninten slowed down. "What are you looking at?"

Claus kept his eyes fixed. "This was where it happened... wasn't it?"

Taken aback by Claus's disquiet, Ninten followed Claus's eyes across the street. A quiet sort of understanding washed over him. "...Yeah." Ninten looked at the road. It looked devoid of any glass and blood, as if nothing had happened. As if nothing had changed.

...Except, they knew better.

Claus's shoulders sagged. An inaudible sigh escaped from his broken form before he hitched up his own bag. "...I need to catch the bus. See you."

Fuck that excuse. Claus had barely taken a step before Ninten grabbed him back. "Wait. Catch a later bus. We need to talk."

Claus sounded tired. "About what?"

"Stuff." Ninten broke into a sly smile. " Wanna hang out at Frank's?"

Claus's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but as Ninten expected, a lopsided smirk quickly flooded across Claus's face. "You bet."

Action.

Ninten shoved him aside and snatched the head start.

Claus's angry shout burst into his ears. "The hell?  _That's cheating, you fatass!_ "

"Loser has to buy the French Fries," Ninten yelled, tearing off at full speed.

Only a couple of blocks down from the school, the fatty fast food diner soon loomed over the horizon. By the time the two boys arrived, panting and out of breath, Claus lightly smacked Ninten in the back for winning, because  _clearly_  all gingers had no souls and Claus was a sore loser.

"And that makes... Thirty-two to twenty-eight," Ninten heaved on his failing knees.

"My ass," Claus grunted, doubling over to catch his breath. "It's one to zero. We're starting the count over from high school."

Indignant by the unjustified loss of his wins, Ninten jerked his head up. "Who said?"

"I said."

"Your counting sucks."

"You suck."

"Asshole."

_"Wimp-"_

A roar interrupted their showdown. "Shut your pieholes, or I'm kicking you both out!"

Noticeably abashed, the two boys muttered their apologies to the intimidating manager -  _a broad-shouldered man named Frank Fly_  - then jostling each other in the ribs ( _"This was all your fault." "You fucked up first, wheezer.")_ , cast their order before settling down into the nearest booth. If Ninten felt bad about Claus paying for the fries - _because really, all he cared about was the thrill of his own win_  - Claus vehemently shot it down, instead raising the stakes next time to two burgers.

"You should work on your temper," Ninten said when Claus slid over with their cheese fries.

 _"Y_ _ou should shut up and eat your French Fries_ ," Claus mimicked.

Dipping a crispy fry into the nacho cheese, Ninten cracked a grin and popped one into his mouth. Fake cheese had never tasted so good.

Claus dropped his bag into the booth across from him. "You wanted to talk?"

"Oh. Yeah." Ninten swallowed down the fry. "Maybe you should apologize."

"To who?"

"To  _whom."_

"Don't autocorrect me, idiot."

"Then don't play dumb, dumbass," Ninten countered with a glare. "Why dost thee speaketh of folly?"

Claus raised his arms in a mimicry of a  _Hail Mary_. "Of course. Everyone's favorite Baseball King. Why am I not surprised?"

Ninten slammed a palm onto the table. "You don't get it," he hissed. "From all the years I've known Ness, he's never acted like this. Like... he's on edge. This is almost as bad as fifth grade."

Claus's expression turned sour. "Well, I didn't know Ness in fifth grade. What do you want me to do? Send him flowers and chocolate?"

"No. I was hoping you'd do... something, I guess."

Claus's face fell.

Surprised, Ninten closed his mouth. Fifteen seconds in, and Claus hadn't burst out into a heated rant.

That was new.

Then Claus gripped him by the shoulders. A hint of worry flashed across his face before swallowed up by Claus's expression. "Fine, then I wanna ask you a favor." Claus's eyes searched Ninten like a laserbeam. "I want you to talk to Ness, and figure out what's bugging him."

"What?" Ninten squeaked. The last time he had tried to give a pep talk, it had resulted in the loss of his dignity and a  _very_  angry red-head. Ninten didn't want to even  _think_  about the horrifying image of a furious Ness wielding a baseball bat. Ninten winced. Nevermind, it was still the lesser of the two evils.

But still, this  _was_  majorly unfair.

"Why do I have to talk to everyone?" Ninten cried, waving his arms in indignation. "I'm not some fucking school counselor!"

"You've known Ness the longest."

"Claus, it's not that easy. We can't just go and share a heart-to-heart _-_ "

Claus snorted. "I'm not telling you to share sappy stories of unrequited love. I want you to check that the stupid prat's all right." Unperturbed by Ninten's reaction, Claus gave him a look. "Swear you'll talk to him... or else I'm convincing your mom not to buy Oreos for an entire month."

"Wh-what? You can't do that!" Ninten sputtered.

"Try me."

Ninten searched that smirking face for a smidget of mercy... and found none.

Curse his love for Oreos.

Ninten huffed, turning away from Claus's still-smirking face. This  _jerk._  "Talk about a low blow."

"Don't complain. You would've done it anyway," Claus continued in that same infuriating tone, because  _dammit again, big stupid dumb Claus was right_. "Tell me when you find out what's been bothering him."

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Ninten muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "you sadist." But underneath Claus's smirk, Ninten could tell that Claus was worried. Really worried. Huh, what did ya know? Miracles  _did_  happen.

"Why can't you ask him yourself?" Ninten shot back, still a little miffed about the "blackmail". Okay, so maybe Ninten realized that he was stretching his whining a little too long, but seriously, _what the fuck?_

Claus's expression darkened. "He's avoiding me."

"Oh." Ninten looked uncomfortable. There was no point in denying it when Claus said the truth flat-out. "Yeah, same..." Ninten frowned at him. "Is he avoiding Lucas too?"

"No, but I don't think they're speaking much either." Claus didn't have to imagine Lucas's hurt expression every time Ness brushed him off. In fact, what  _did_  stop Claus from marching over and punching the daylights out of Ness for worrying the shit out of them was that Ness was also doing his best to help Lucas re-adjust to school.

"...Why is Ness trying to give us all a headache?" Claus groaned.

"Now you're talking," Ninten said, creasing his eyebrows. "Maybe... maybe it  _is_  kinda personal, Claus. Whatever's bothering Ness must be a big deal. I mean, he's been acting like this since Monday."

"I know," Claus said sourly. "I would've asked Lucas to talk to him, but I don't want to push him with his condition-"

Ninten reared back.  _"What?_  I thought that Lucas was feeling  _better-"_

"Oh, it's nothing  _serious,"_  Claus grimaced. "Lucas gets exhausted a lot faster because the accident damaged his quadriceps. The doctor said that they'll heal once he gets used to walking again...  _if_  he could start walking again... Ninten, you've literally seen him running around in school. The doctor'd pretty much dubbed Lucas a miracle after what happened. I guess I feel a lot better about Lucas now, but-" Claus scowled, suddenly looking unhappy. "I just wish he'd stop telling me he's fine when he's clearly not."

Ninten could relate too well. "Sibling troubles? Tell me about it."

Claus laughed. "It's just in his nature, I guess. You know that Lucas never likes making me worry... or anyone, really. You should've seen him last night." Claus's eyes lit up at the memory. "He started to nod off during dinner, so I told him to go to sleep, but Lucas got all stubborn and said he could hold it out. Turned out, he knocked himself out at the table in five MINUTES. I had to  _drag_  him upstairs to bed before he could accidentally dunk his face into his soupbowl."

Ninten couldn't have missed the expression on Claus's face, even if he'd tried. "You missed him."

Claus didn't deny it. His voice softened. "I did. To be honest... I still don't know what I would've done if he'd died that day." Claus's throat sounded a little tight at the end, and Ninten pretended not to notice. Without his scowl, Claus could pass for a startling replica of his younger brother.

It made sense.

They were twins after all.

"Well, you probably might've yelled a lot," Ninten joked, trying to uplift the morbid mood. His expression quickly changed to terror. "Seriously, I really thought you were gonna bite my head off that day."

Claus at least had the gall to look guilty. "Right. Sorry, I wasn't thinking-"

"It's fine. I get it. I probably would've reacted the same way in your shoes."

However, Ninten's lighthearted response seemed to bother Claus. Looking uncomfortable, Claus scrunched his shoulders together.

"But I  _was_  being an asshole to all of you," Claus finally mumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. When Ninten looked taken aback, Claus shot him a look that dared him to argue otherwise.

Ninten didn't.

Underneath Claus's classic pokerface  _(Claus had taken more after his dad than his mom, hadn't he?)_ , his emotions escaped and flickered though his eyes. Claus had known that his friends had been patiently putting up with him for the past few weeks, especially during Lucas's absence. Now that Ness was avoiding him for something stupid, even if the Oreo-lover got pretty annoying at times, Claus would've hated to lose Ninten too.

He'd taken all his friends for granted.

A flicker of movement caught his eye, and Claus spun around in time to catch Ninten grinning like an idiot.

"What are  _you_  looking at?" Claus shot back. He realized that his emotions must've shown on his face, and strove to fix that with a sour scowl. But it didn't take long for his cheeks to start burning, because from the way Ninten's stupid smirk was growing, Claus could tell that his own face had turned as red as his hair.

But Ninten only gave him an all-too-knowing smile. "You're welcome, Claus."

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~oO0Oo~

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Busy as a bee, Flint was still outside, sowing as many crops as he could before the chill of winter.

With nothing better to do, Claus spent the afternoon helping his dad slave away in the field. When Claus finally returned, sweating bullets under the unforgiving sun, he found the home horribly empty. In an instant, Claus had whirled around and sprinted towards Sunshine Forest.

It didn't take him long to find his younger twin.

Claus didn't need their telepathic connection to know that Lucas was still feeling gloomy. Boney lay underneath the shade of the leaves, wagging his tail happily at Claus's approach. Grinning, Claus scratched the dog behind the ears, and Boney responded to the heavenly touch with a whine for more.

"Not now, Boney. I gotta talk to Lucas now, but I'll give you plenty of pets later, okay? Now, go fetch," Claus murmured, tossing a stick out of sight.

As if sensing Claus's intentions, Boney shot past him with an excited bark, diving after the fallen branch and disappearing out of view. Claus could already imagine Boney passing the time, trying to play circles around his own tail.

Smart dog.

Perched amidst the thick boughs of the apple tree, Lucas conjured a PK Love. The beautiful blue hexagons shimmered into the air before fading away.

To his own annoyance, Claus had trouble summoning PK Love. Whenever he tried, the spell either exploded uncontrollably in his face, or failed to work at all. For the past week, Lucas tried his best to help him out, but it was left with little success; Claus showed no signs of progress much to Claus's own frustration.

"Hey."

At his brother's approach, Lucas stopped, lowering his hand back to his side. "Hey," he said quietly.

"Sorry I was being a jerk." Claus awkwardly thrust his hands in his pockets. "You know... you know I suck at expressing my feelings."

Lucas's expression softened. "That's not true."

"Yeah, it is. I was just getting worried about Ness, but then he kinda provoked me and then-"

"For the last time, it's okay, Claus. I figured that you wouldn't have lashed at him out if you didn't care," Lucas said, not unkindly. "And what Ness said to you wasn't very nice either. Both of you were at fault, so don't beat yourself up."

Claus looked away. "I'm not beating myself up."

Lucas cracked a warm smile. "Good, because you shouldn't."

Taking this as a sign of forgiveness, Claus slipped his shoe onto a foothold. "I'm coming up."

In response, Lucas shifted over on the branch, and hoisted Claus up onto the branch. For a moment, they leaned against each other, letting their emotions, hearts, and minds mingle in lazy contentment. Satisfied somehow by the gesture, Lucas sighed, and Claus felt his shoulder vibrate with the sound. Their telepathic communication only seemed to strengthen their bond. Claus invigorated Lucas's uncertainty with confidence and in turn felt a soothing wave of calm temper his frustration.

Together, they were complete.

Lucas broke the peace with a frown. "I'm worried too. I want to help Ness out, but if he won't talk, then I don't want to read his mind without permission..."

Claus snorted. "We can sense each other's minds when we "speak" anyways, so I'm pretty sure Ness would notice something if we tried." He shifted his gaze. "Besides, I don't think I'm ready to try this on anyone else. Imagine how AWFUL it'd be. I don't want to hear Ninten rave about Oreos twenty-four seven in class."

Brushing aside a rustle of leaves, Claus plucked an apple from the tree. After prodding one to his twin, who shook his head to decline the offer, Claus shrugged and took a bite. The crunchy fruit exploded in his mouth with a sweet and sour tang. "Well, I made him promise to corner Ness at some point. If Ninten figures anything out, he said he'll tell me."

"Ninten's a good friend." Lucas threw him a side glance. "Take my words with a grain of salt... but I heard a rumor yesterday. Someone said that he's got a week's worth of detention with Giygas-"

Involuntarily, Claus spat out a mouthful of apple. "What? That... That prat!" Claus furiously wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and Lucas wrinkled his nose. Ah yes, his brother, the neat-freak. "What for?"

"He stood up for your absence in class."

"Why doesn't this surprise me?" Claus grumbled, now tossing the apple core onto the ground. "That kid's going to be the death of me."

"That's what  _dad_  always says about  _you,_ " Lucas chimed out with a growing grin, changing his voice into a gruff undertone. " _Claus is going to be the death of me_ -"

Claus playfully shoved him in the side. "Goody two-shoes."

"Troublemaker," Lucas countered, pulling a funny face before jumping down from the apple tree. He staggered onto his feet for a few steps before standing upright, dusting the dirt off his denim shorts. Lucas pretended not to notice the worried frown Claus threw at him. "Do you wanna compare answers for physics? I don't know if I got question number 35 correct-"

Claus groaned, throwing his hands up into the air. "Of course. You  _had_ to bring up homework."

"Come on, please?" Lucas tugged on one of his brother's dangling legs. "If we finish on time, dad could use an extra hand on the field-"

"Whatever."

"Whatever yourself," his brother responded with equal cheek.

Claus rolled his eyes, but complied, dropping down from his branch. His thoughts flickered back to his best friend. Clearly, Ninten had nothing to gain from his outburst in class, but had stood up for him anyway. Weird lil' prick. Despite the gratitude welling up in his throat, Claus silently resolved to slap the sense into the Podunk teen for pulling off such a reckless stunt.

Realizing that Lucas was watching his blank face in concern, Claus switched to a smirk before seizing his brother into a headlock.

"What are  _you_  looking at?"

"Aaah! Stoppit, Claus!"

"Make me!"

However, it didn't take long for his brother's whining protests to transform into laughter, and Claus's lips tilted up into a genuine curve.

Two smiles were so much better than one.

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~oO0Oo~

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Friday was no better than Thursday.

"-stupid, useless detention..."

The afternoon found Ninten in a foul mood. He marched around the corner to turn in the last of the extra homework Giygas had assigned him. At least it was finally Friday. Thank the gods and everyone below, Ninten was fervently grateful to see the end of the week. He'd been stuck with more than his fair share of drama for a  _lifetime._  Hopefully, things between Ness and Claus cooled off over the weekend.

Shaking his head, Ninten slowed his walking pace to a slow crawl. If he arrived late enough, he might avoid bumping into Giygas. Then again, when Ninten thought about it  _(rather ruefully, he had to add),_  the more time he killed, the more time he'd lose from baseball practice.

It was a lose-lose situation.

But despite the fact that Ninten was literally  _inching_  toward the classroom in small, baby steps, he soon found himself standing outside the dreaded bane of his existence: the Math Classroom. Pressing his ear against the door, Ninten heard muffled voices coming from inside, and his shoulders wilted. Oh yeah, someone was  _definitely_  there. Edging forward, Ninten ducked under the window on the door, slipping his extra homework into the taped manilla folder.

Homework slotted.

Ninten's eyes quickly fixed themselves on the silhouettes inside.

...No one had noticed him.

Giddy from his stomach doing somersaults in an internal victory dance, Ninten punched a fist into the air.

_"I want to quit."_

At the sudden voice, Ninten froze. Had he been caught? WAS GIYGAS GONNA GIVE HIM  _MORE_  MATH HOMEWORK?

But when neither of the silhouettes turned in his direction, Ninten shrugged and walked away.

 _Then_  he caught Ness's name in his ear.

Overwhelmingly curious by this point  _(because who wouldn't be by a teacher talking about your close friend?),_  Ninten quietly snuck in front of the wooden door to eavesdrop on the little he could make out.

There was a staccato of fingers against a wooden desk, vibrating into Ninten's ears like a death knell. A different voice - snappy and low - had spoken up. "Keep your voice down. We're in school. Anyone could be listening-"

"I can't believe I was stupid enough to listen to you," the first voice said, muffled through the thick wooden door. Oddly enough, this voice sounded vaguely familiar. "My parents aren't going to buy the fib forever. Give him back-!"

"Then do your part."

"I did! You're the one being annoying and- and seriously pissing me off-"

"We're merely useful to each other," the mysterious voice quietly said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Fine then, keep him. Like I care. It's not like things could get any worse at home. I'm done."

Sounds of footsteps grew louder his way, but before Ninten could scoot back, the mysterious voice rang out, "Ness is a special boy."

The footsteps came to an abrupt stop. "What... What did you say?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

"You wouldn't _._ " The familiar voice was now shaking. "You wouldn't  _dare-"_

"I'm looking for students with PSI. I'll take whatever I need-"

_"Not him."_

There was a low rustle of someone stacking the papers together before the mysterious voice spoke again. Ninten strained his ears; he could barely make out the conversation at all. "...sensed a... erful Awakening. Identify this source by... ocial event... ring this person to me _._  You have one week. Ness won't be lucky enough to escape a second time."

Ninten had heard enough.

But then, the sound of running grew louder to the door. Out of instinct, Ninten dived out of the way, rolling himself against the floor before flattening himself behind the nearest locker.

Not a moment too soon. A student emerged, his face a pasty color of fright, but they quickly disappeared before Ninten could identify them. The classroom lights flickered off, then another figure stepped out into the hallway. Ninten clapped his hands over his mouth, praying that he hadn't been heard.

The person paused. Ninten shivered as he sensed those eye rake over his hiding place, but just as his neck began to prickle, the person took his leave. It was only when Ninten was completely sure that no one was around that he felt his knees buckle, sliding him down onto an unsteady crouch.

Leaning against the lockers, Ninten mulled over what he had heard.

_PSI..._

_PSI?_

_WTFHSUODG Ness is a **psychic?!** Since when?_

Apparently since forever. Talk about a surprise. Ninten flashed back to the last person's silhouette and shivered, his hands suddenly turning clammy and cold.  _This person was hunting down psychics in school. He was searching for someone. Someone powerful. A psychic like us._

The missing students from school... could this all be linked together? A horrible chill slithered down Ninten's spine. The thought alone unnerved him, and with that warning tucked into mind, Ninten feverishly resolved to keep his guard up.

This person didn't play nice. This person didn't play fair.

This person was a  _threat._

But there had been something else. Ninten had recognized the second person, recognized the strange lilt in his voice, recognized his snappy demeanor. Oh, he knew the culprit very well.

Without thinking, Ninten leaped to his feet, tearing off in the direction of the baseball field. Ignoring his muscles screaming for air, Ninten ran, wheezing on every jarring step against the cracked sidewalk. His panicked mind could only focus solely on one thought, and one thought alone.

**_I have to find Ness._ **

Because there had been no doubt about it.

The not-so-mysterious man had been his Math teacher.


	8. Boy Meets Girl

_There was no denying it._

_The kidnapper was on the move, and Ness was his next target._

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Eight**_ ~

_**Boy Meets Girl** _

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* * *

Ninten's shoes punched the dirt at the same pace of his heart. Bursting out of the hallway like a hurricane on the loose, Ninten hurtled towards the baseball field. Dreadful scenarios flashed through his head, each progressively worse than the last.

Much to his own relief, Ninten soon caught sight of the tell-tale bleachers and fake grass of the baseball field. With a last burst of energy, he completed the final few steps into the stadium and slammed himself through the metal-grilled gates.

**_"Ness!"_ **

Stunned stupid on the field, members of the baseball club whirled around, boggled-eyed at Ninten's dramatic entrance. Ninten didn't blame them for gawking; he probably looked like a gross sweaty mess, but his appearance at the moment was the last thing on his mind. Snapping his head around, Ninten scanned the bleachers, the field, the sidewalk-

His blood ran cold.

Ness wasn't here.

"Where is he?" Ninten demanded, rounding on the nearest batter.

Fuel looked quite baffled. "Who?"

"Who else?  _Ness!"_

"He just stepped out to pick up some balls. Coach's orders. We're waiting on both of them." Claus walked over to Ninten with a frown. "What's up with  _you?"_

Ignoring the question, Ninten had already whipped around, ready to charge towards the shed like a rhino on a rampage when Ness chose that exact moment to appear. Almost walking straight into the shorter boy, a startled Ness stumbled backwards in time, accidentally dropping the heavy crate an inch away from crushing his own foot. "Who...?!"

Ness looked...  _okay,_  really. A little shocked, but that was to be expected. He seemed to have heard the ruckus Ninten had caused earlier. His eyes taking in Ninten's dead-beat form, before long, Ness's own lips curled into a boyish smirk. "Glad to see that you're ready for running. Go guard second base, Coach is coming in a mo."

Ninten hesitated, but knew that he was in no condition to argue. Besides, Ninten was already starting to attract more unwanted attention from his teammates, who were now eyeing him like a weirdo who had just escaped from the loony bin.

So Ninten grudgingly snatched a baseball glove from the shed and stalked over to his position in the field, where players were warming up for practice. With a vicious strike, one of the batters smacked the ball out of the arena with a resounding  ** _CRACK!_**

"Nice curveball," Ness called out, wiping the sweat from his eyes. Stepping closer, he re-adjusted Fuel's bat. "But you might wanna aim a little lower, Poo. We don't want to decapitate anyone this early in the game."

A horror-stricken look sprouted on Poo's face. "We decapitate players?"

"Only after breakfast," Ninten said with a straight face before snorting into laughter.

Ness rolled his eyes. "Ignore him, Poo. It's just a phrase."

"Oh." The Dalaamese martial arts expert looked extremely relieved. Not that Ninten could understand. Poo had long since established himself as the resident badass of the classroom with little to no fanfare, and Ninten would still run away screaming if Poo wielded as much a blade of grass for a fight.

"Break time! Everyone, to me," the coach barked out much to Ninten's relief, hauling up a water cooler and bags of mini chips onto the bleachers. The members immediately stopped what they were doing and rushed over to the stands. Raking his eyes over the field, Coach Isaac caught sight of Ninten and  _scowled._  Catching sight of the deathglare, Ness grimaced in sympathy as he brushed past, slapping Ninten on the back.

Ninten took the grilling pretty well if he had to say so himself.

"-grades and clean record come first. If you flunk another test or stir up trouble, whatever the administration says will take precedence. I can't help you there."

Ninten smiled innocently. "Sure thing, coach."

Coach Isaac didn't look impressed. "That means no more detentions. Kapeesh?"

"Okay."

"I can't hear you!"

Ninten straightened his back. "Yes, coach!"

"Good. Now stand over there," Coach Isaac grunted, giving Ninten a light push aside. "I have to talk to the pitchers about their horrible arm."

Wanting to give the coach no other reasons to dole out an extra grilling, Ninten jogged over to the water coolers. Gesturing like a windmill, Ness was talking animatedly with Poo, who began to look nervous over the coach's sudden bark of  _Pitchers, gather round!_

"Perhaps I am better suited to the batting of the ball-"

"I mean, there's nothing wrong with learning how to pitch. You said you wanted to try something new. We lost our pitcher last year, so this isn't a bad place to start. I think the Coach is still bitter that he lost Zack to the boxing team, but dude, I'd say  _go for it_ ," Ness said, patting Poo on the back. "I  _suck_  at pitching. And lemme tell ya, your aim's not bad for someone who's never played baseball before."

"You flatter me, Captain. The coach is far from satisfied. I'm afraid that this is not the role I am best suited for."

"You're just in the club. Coach isn't gonna get on your case for that."

Poo bowed. "I'll continue to work on my progress."

"You do that." Ness grinned. As soon as Poo sauntered off, his ponytail flying in an arc, Ninten sidled over.

"Hello, Captain."

Ness rolled his eyes. "Ninten, stop trying to confuse him. You know he's still learning our customs."

"Yes but of course, Captain." Ninten spoke in an extravagantly posh British accent, sniggering as he fiddled with his imaginary monocle. "Would you like me to bow to you as well, Captain? Oh, Captain, I would love to show you my utmost respe-"

"Shut it, 'Ten."

Ninten couldn't help but cackle despite his bottled-up worry, and Ness rolled his eyes again before plastering a silly grin onto his face. "I can't believe I have to deal with you for the next four years of my life." He tossed him a water bottle, which Ninten caught easily with one hand.

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

Ninten chugged the drink down. Under the blistering heat, the ice-cold water was refreshing, trickling down his aching, bone-dry throat. Taking in slower sips of water, the two close friends watched the rest of the club and team mingle together on the field. From here, Ninten could spot Claus's fiery-red hair as Claus talked with a nervous looking Nichol. Fuel had engaged the coach for batting tips, and shying away from the crowd, Lucas seemed to be answering Poo's questions in the bleachers. Everyone was preoccupied with one thing or another.

It was the perfect opportunity to carry out a conversation unnoticed.

"Ness?"

"Yeah? What's wrong?" Ness caught the urgency in Ninten's voice, and frowned. A thin sheen of moisture dripped from his eyebrows as he held the water bottle sweating bullets in his hand. "Are you worried about our game next Saturday? The Onyx Hooks are a tough team but you shouldn't worry. Your asthma won't hinder you from-"

"It's not about baseball." Ninten dropped the facade and lowered his voice. "Is there anything you wanna talk about?"

Ness visibly closed off. "Look, I'm sorry that I argued with Claus, but if you're gonna ask me about what happened last week -  _AGAIN_  - then drop it."

Ninten met his eyes head-on in a silent challenge. Slowly, he raised a hand up, before snapping his fingers. "PK Powershield."

Ness froze as a flat, amber holographic shield the size of a piece of paper expanded onto Ninten's palm. Ninten might've laughed at the dumbfounded look on his face if the situation had not been so serious.

"...You too?"

"Yeah, me too."

First shock, then horror flashed across Ness's face. "Ninten! What the hell are you doing?" Ness hissed, leaping to his feet and looking around. "Stop that before someone sees you-"

Ness didn't have to worry; Ninten had already banished his shield. No one else seemed to have noticed his little display of magic.

"What?" Ninten huffed. "I'm only trying to prove a point-"

"Well, cut it out! You could've just told me," Ness whispered. Ninten caught something like fear flicker in Ness's eyes before it disappeared. Ness and fear... those words didn't ring well together.

It only proved Ninten's worst suspicions.

"Hey, what happened to you last week?" Worried, Ninten lowered his voice. He hadn't been able to talk to Ness in a while, and up close, he saw that Ness looked worse off than before. Dark bags surrounded Ness's listless eyes, and the brooding look had returned to his face. "Holy crap, you look awful! Did you even  _sleep_  this week?"

"Gee thanks, Ninten," Ness said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. But when Ninten shot him an unrelenting look, Ness finally caved in. "Okay. Claus was right. Someone ambushed me last week," Ness muttered. His palms shook, but Ninten couldn't tell if it was out of anger or fear. Ness clenched his teeth. "I think Paula's been abducted too. No one's seen her around for two weeks, Ninten.  _ **Two weeks**._ I've been looking for clues, but so far, I've got nothing." His hands curled tightly into fists. "You need to be more careful. Someone's out there, and they apparently want us  _badly-"_

"Well, talk about coincidence," Ninten interrupted. "But I've got a hunch on who might be behind all this."

Ness whipped around. "Who?" he demanded.

"Giygas."

As a dumbstruck expression spread across on his face, Ness looked like someone had slapped him upside the head with a frying pan. As if his feet had dissolved into jelly, Ness slid down onto the bleachers, not trusting his wobbly legs to stand upright. Expecting such a response, Ninten sympathetically let Ness catch his breath, bracing himself for the inevitable...

Laughter?

"G-G-Giygas?" Ness gasped, tears forming in his eyes. He started rolling over the bleachers, engulfed by another onslaught of giggles. "Haha - Ow! Cramp, cramp, cramp-"

It didn't help that Ninten was throwing Ness a perfect scowl reminiscent of a certain redhead. "Yes,  _Giygas,"_  he snapped, flushing from embarrassment. "What's so funny?"

"Hahaaa, oh wow. Nice one. You almost got me there." Ness wiped a stray tear from his eye. "Is this because Giygas gave you detention? Gee, Ninten. I never knew you were such a sourpuss-"

" _I'M SERIOUS,_ " Ninten said loudly, and up further in the field, Fuel had blindly turned around for the source of the yell. Realizing this, Ninten quickly lowered his voice again. "Listen, I eavesdropped outside his classroom right after school, and you won't believe what I heard..."

He proceeded to tell Ness the whole story. At the very end of Ninten's tale, Ness seemed to have sobered up from his laughter.

"That's certainly something…" Ness muttered, but if anything Ninten had said bothered him, he didn't show it.

"You're telling me!"

"First the blackmail, then the spy…" Ness crossed his arms in a frown. "-and to make things worse, someone's kidnapping psychics from school. This is giving me a really bad feeling."

"Admit it, it's fishy. Giygas is up to something!"

"Okay, you got me there... but Giygas? As the culprit?"

Ninten caught onto his tone of disbelief. "You don't believe me?"

"Well..." Ness grimaced, now appraising him with doubt. "Think about it, Ninten. You're essentially telling me that our Calculus teacher is an evil child-abductor-"

"Yeah."

"-who mass-produces an army of magical robots to kidnap people-"

"Go on."

"-and enjoys blackmailing students as much as subjecting them to the crushing failure of a math test."

"Okay, it sounds a little far-fetched when you put it like that," Ninten admitted. "But you  _gotta_  believe me, Ness. I heard everything in his office-"

"But you didn't see his face."

Ninten seized his hair in frustration. "I didn't, but it's him, Ness. I  _know_  it is."

"We can't do anything if we don't have any solid  _proof._ " Ness's eyes softened. "Look, I trust you, but until we have actual evidence, we can't just randomly point fingers at teachers we don't like. Besides, Giygas hates you, but he's... well, mean to everyone. That's his character."

Reluctantly, Ninten conceded this point with a grunt. "...and speaking of people acting  _out of character,"_  he muttered, quoting the phrase with his fingers. "Can you  _please_  tell me what your deal is with Pokey?"

"It's complicated."

Ninten caught the look on Ness's face. "It's your powers, isn't it? Your PSI. It caused something. A rift. That's why you and Pokey aren't friends anymore." Ninten tapped his head. "Right? 'Cause that's what my sixth sense is telling me."

Ness understood. For some reason, Ninten had an unusual knack for guessing things correctly, an intuition that the Podunk boy claimed as his "sixth sense." Of course, to ruin the fun, Claus remarked that Ninten had a knack for spouting "nonsense." This often earned Claus a smack on the arm or a retort that Claus lacked "common sense," which usually ended up with Ness and Lucas trying to drag away a snarling ginger-haired menace from mauling their grinning loony of a friend.

Ness winced as if replaying an unpleasant memory in his head. "That's well, okay. That too. I accidentally read his mind in fifth grade, and Pokey freaked out. You could say he's pretty much had a grudge against me since. So when he realized that he couldn't bother me, he's been dead set on bothering Lucas instead."

"Ouuuch. No wonder Claus hates your guts."

"It's a part of it, but... it's really complicated, Ninten.  _No-"_  Ness added, exasperated, when Ninten threw him a smirk. "I don't  _hate_  Claus. Really. He's a handful, and we don't always get along, but  _hate's_  a pretty strong word." Ness turned quiet. "With Pokey... it's stupid, but I wanna believe the best in him, even though he probably won't ever change."

"But Porky never told anyone about your powers. That's got to count for something," Ninten said, now feeling sorry for him, but Ness brushed it off.

"You're right. Pokey  _might_  feel guilty over what happened between us." Ness's face darkened. "But he has no right to frame Lucas for the loss of our friendship."

They watched the bobbing sea of baseball gloves on the field before Ninten plucked up the courage to speak. "It seems pretty obvious now that I think about it... but I didn't know you were psychic. You never told us about your powers." Ninten shifted. "I thought I was the only one."

"Same." The confident air completely drained out of Ness's features, and Ness exhaled. "I thought I was a freakshow. I...  _We_  already lost someone, and I didn't want to lose any of you. And right after I was attacked...well, it kinda forced me to remember that. There was too much at stake. I tried to push you all away." Ness laughed when Ninten stayed silent. "I know, I'm an idiot-"

"Yeah, you were. Did you know how worried we were about you?" Ness flinched, but Ninten's voice was anything but angry. In fact, Ninten's inner vampire grin had started to show. "Ah well, that's that. We good now?"

Surprised, Ness stared at him before breaking into an earsplitting grin himself. "We good."

"Good is good-"

"Wait! Hold on a sec." Ness scrunched his features into a frown. "Then why didn't  _you_  ever tell me about your powers?"

Ninten crossed his fingers. "Guilty as charged."

As if indignant over Ninten's implied answer, Ness's eyes seemed to burn with a purple fire. "You've got to be kidding me. I never would've judged you for that!"

"Says the pot calling the kettle black."

"Touche." Ness heaved a low sigh. The brooding look had returned to his face. "So... I guess we're not letting Lucas and Claus in on this. _"_

"Huh? Sure we can! You  _just_  said it-"

"Ninten, they've never seen magic before. They don't even know what PSI  _is._  Or were you planning on blowing something up in front of their faces and calling it a day?"

"Well, now that you mention it-"

"Don't you dare try."

"I can't. I don't have any offensive magic." Ninten winced. "But once we find stuff about Giygas, we could fill them in later-"

"Bad idea." Ness's eyes flickered over Claus, who was smirking at whatever joke Fuel had cracked, and then to Lucas, who was shoving at them with a flustered expression. "I don't want to drag them into any danger because of us."

Ness couldn't afford to lose another friend because of his magic.

Not again.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"-an't believe I said that, and yeah, I'm sorry too."

Claus blinked in disbelief. "You're joking, Ness. I thought you were mad at me."

"I thought  _you_  were mad at  _me!_ "

Ness and Claus exchanged incredulous looks before dissolving into grins. Leaning over, they shook each other's hand in a firm grip. 

"Nice to have you back, Claus," Ness said sincerely.

Claus waved a hand. "I never left in the first place," he smirked, a hint of mischief in his blue eyes.

"See, I told you a little time was all we needed." Ninten spread his arms in glee. "Group hug!"

As excited as Ninten looked over the simple suggestion, Claus looked equally as put off. "Go hug yourself."

Ninten fondly gave him the finger, and Claus lovingly flipped one back.

 _I think you're acting a bit over the top,_  Ness rebuked.

 _Am I?_ Ninten glanced over to Lucas, who looked slightly taken aback.  _Oops_.

Because normal people didn't flip Claus off and get away with it. It had felt so natural, but thinking over it... yeahhh. If  _Ness_  had been the one to flip  _Claus_  out, then all hell would've broken loose.

No wonder Lucas seemed concerned over his sanity.

Ninten had  _always_  acted over the top whenever he was nervous. 

Biting back a groan, Ninten rested his head onto his desk. Ever since he'd teamed up with Ness, the two of them had resorted to communicating via telepathy, which - _unfortunately_  - could only be used over short distances. They both knew this. They both knew that the drawback severely limited their options. However, with the  _very real threat_  of a spy hovering over their heads, neither of them could afford someone from overhearing their convos.

While Ness remained skeptical over Ninten's claims that Giygas was, quote-on-quote, "a demonic child-abductor lacking any sense of humor," he did keep his guard up during Calculus. They took close tabs on Giygas as often as they could, watching for any signs of unusual behavior, but Giygas behaved as snarky and cold as ever. To top this, they still had no idea on who the spy could be, much less who was behind it all.

Along with their secret mission came another problem - they had to avoid arousing suspicion in both Lucas and Claus. This was proving to be a clumsy dilemma, because the twins were -  _if anything_  - far from dense, which was a shame because they probably would've offered some sound advice. Ninten thought it was already hard enough, having to hide their magic; Covering up a totally secret mission without arousing  _any_  form of suspicion from the twins seemed impossible.

...something that Ness quickly realized during Creative Writing.

"So... are you feeling better now?" Claus asked, frowning. "You never really told us what happened."

Ness faltered, and Ninten could tell by the way his mind froze. "Think the weekend was all I needed," Ness managed to continue smoothly. "Since I was feeling stressed about the upcoming baseball game and stuff."

For several unnerving seconds, Lucas and Claus blinked, before they exchanged an identical  _look_  with each other. Completely on point and on sync. Almost impressive, except that Ninten was no longer fazed by their weird  _twin-telepathy_  tick. 

But to Ninten's own astonishment, the twins relaxed, seeming to accept this explanation. 

"Eh, so at least it's not a big deal. Like no one died or-?"

"No," Ness quickly said. "Just me being stressed out."

"Okay. Yeah, I still feel kinda bad for ribbing you," Claus admitted, flicking his pencil over to write. "But you've got a point. The Onyx Hooks are the toughest team we're facing this year, and our school's pretty shitty in the baseball league, not gonna lie. Bet we rank last-"

"Can't be. Have you SEEN Winter's team?" Ninten said, feigning horror. "They're  _awful._  Like, think  _Mini Mii Jeffs flailing around the field-_ "

"What're you talking about? Jeff's carrying the Solar Car team-"

"Jeff can't run for his life-"

The atmosphere shifted noticeably.

Ninten couldn't believe that the twins had been convinced so easily. "Hey... You're both taking this pretty well," he started cautiously.

"Why wouldn't we?" Claus spoke, lifting his head to pointedly stare at him. "It's not like you'd try to hide anything from us."

Ninten's heart plummeted. He knew a burn when he felt one. "Yeah, guess you're right," he mumbled into his seat.

 _They know that we're hiding something._ Ness suddenly said.  _You can tell. Lucas keeps avoiding eye contact._

 _What?_ Ninten glanced over. Sure enough, Lucas had bit the corner of his lip, looking like he was fidgeting over something to say. Ninten rolled his eyes. _Lucas ALWAYS avoids eye contact. I think you're just paranoid, he's probably worrying over his grades again-_

 _I hope you're right, but we sh_ _ouldn't underestimate them._

_Right. If they find out we were ever hiding this shit from them, Claus would fry us alive._

Ness internally winced.  _Oh man, d_ _on't remind me._

As if on cue, one of the twins spoke. "So, I heard..." Lucas trailed off. He kept shooting Claus nervous side-glances, but Claus kept pretending not to notice, feigning a sudden interest for the past  _STUDENT OF THE YEAR_  portraits on the classroom wall. "Uh w-we were... I meant I-"

"We were wondering what you thought about Paula's absence," Claus broke in, taking over the conversation and giving both hatted boys his classic  _LASERBEAM OF SUSPICION._

_He hit that nail on the head. You were saying, Ninten?_

_Shuddup, Ness. Hurry up and answer before Claus realizes we're stalling._

No need for the heads-up. Ness could  _feel_  Claus's icy blue eyes burning holes into his skin. "Y-Yeah," he squeaked. Embarrassed, Ness cleared his throat. "Yeah. I did."

He regretted his answer when Claus looked just as confused as his brother. "Uh, aren't you worried about her? It's been like, a few weeks since she's last shown up for class-"

"Seriously guys? Paula's not my girlfriend!" Ness snapped.

"We never said she was," Lucas said quietly. "But we heard that the police put her kidnapping investigation on hold today during morning announcements, and you two had always seemed like close friends..."

 _Oh_.

"Sorry, Lucas. Didn't mean to shout," Ness muttered. "Yeah, I'm  _definitely_  worried. We've known each other since we were kids. I know her parents too." Ness thought of the Polestars, over how Mrs. Polestar always tried to shower him in jelly snacks, over how Mr. Polestar sternly lectured Ness to keep all doors open whenever Ness hung out with his " _princess"_. Mister Polestar's over-protectiveness rivaled Claus's own. "Paula would never run away from home. No one knows what happened to her, and it sucks, because all I can do is hope that she's okay. I really hope she is."

"I hope so too." Great, now  _Lucas_  looked sympathetic. Causing Lucas worry was the last thing Ness had wanted to do. 

_...I can't keep this up. Do something, Ninten._

Ninten snapped out of his daze. _Say what? Sorry, I got distracted. What happened?_

Composing himself, Ness rolled his eyes. "Gee Ninten, I wonder who you're staring at," he said loudly, feeling an evil sort of satisfaction when Ninten responded by whipping his head around.

Ninten's shoe caught on the leg of his own chair, and losing his balance with an indignant cry, Ninten toppled out of his seat in a noisy clatter.  _"Ness!"_

"Can't blame you for zoning out, _lover boy_ ," Claus smirked, now closing his textbook on Shakespeare.

"Lover boy?" Ninten squeaked defiantly from the floor. "What- I... What are you talking about?"

Claus leaned forward smirking. "Let's spell it out: A-N-A?"

Ninten flushed a deep crimson.

Claus cackled at Ninten's utter mortification, and Lucas swatted him in the arm for teasing. 

"Um... Ninten?"

Ninten blanched. All the color drained from his cheeks in shock. Still sprawled on the floor, his brown eyes caught sight of a pair of pink converses. With an audible gulp, Ninten slowly lifted his head.

_Oh no. She's **cute.**_

As if hesitating over what to say, Ana slowly extended her hand. She was wearing a pretty red petticoat today, Ninten thought. The glossy coat was neatly tied at the back in an adorable bow, and the warm color accentuated her kind features. "Thanks for the pencil," she said. "I forgot to hand it back to you yesterday..."

_It's got to be illegal for anyone to be **that**  level of cute._

Mind running on overdrive, Ninten blindly reached for her palm. "Er... no problems. Problem. I mean, no problem. Do you still need it or...?"

"I brought my own pencil case today." Ana's sky-blue eyes blinked once more before a faint pink blush blossomed on her cheeks, as if noticing Ninten still sprawled over on the floor. "Sorry... is this a bad time to talk?"

Yes. Humiliation could've struck Ninten dead on the spot.

Instead, snapping to attention, Ninten leaped to his feet. "No," Ninten blurted out, accidentally cracking the pencil lead against his desk. "Not at all! What do you wanna talk to me about?"

"Ah... Well, I wanted to ask if... if you... and I... because tomorrow-" Without warning, poor Ana ran away, hiding her furiously blushing face in her hands.  _"...Bye."_

Still stuck in a daze, Ninten dropped back into his seat... then proceeded to miserably slump over his desk. "God, why am I such a loser-"

"-and cue the angst." Claus groaned, burying his own face into his hands. "Ninten, spare us the drama. I bet that everybody already  _knows_  that you like each other. You two are so damn  _obvious._ "

"Am I really?" Ninten consulted the rest of them with his eyes. With an awkward half-shrug, Ness grimaced, then jerked his head down in a passable nod. On the other hand, Lucas blushed a faint pink, then averted his eyes to the desk as if to avoid answering the question out loud.

"Claus, no sleeping in class," Miss Marshmallow said sharply, materializing by their side. Without skipping a beat, she continued, "Have you boys decided on your topic for the Shakespeare project?"

"Yes, Miss. We wrote the outline right here," Lucas said, his face still glowing a faint pink. As Lucas showed her the slip of paper, Miss Marshmallow almost  _snatched_  it from his hands, slipping on her reading glasses. After examining it with beady eyes, she returned the paper with a curt nod, before sweeping away to terrorize Ana's group.

"I swear that Miss Marshmallow's secretly a robot," Claus muttered, raising his head to eye her from his seat. "It's like she sees and hears  _everything_  we say."

Ninten only sighed like a lovesick fool.

Claus's eyes flickered from his lovesick fool of a friend, then back to Ninten's respective crush. His eyes still fixed on Ana, Claus frowned, resting his head back onto his hands. "Hey, Ninten. Maybe it's just me, but your  _girlfriend_ looks a little off today-"

"Like you're a fresh pansy yourself," Ninten immediately tossed back.

Claus looked outraged. "Who are you calling a fresh pansy?"

Ness ignored their bickering. "She did seem preoccupied. Wonder what's on her mind."

At Ness's words, Ninten looked up, this time having a legitimate excuse to study his crush. Forcing himself to look past Ana's golden curls and pretty blue eyes, Ninten stopped... then frowned. Claus was right; as quiet as always, Ana strangely seemed to radiate with  _melancholy._  He watched her whisper into Poo's ear, who in turn, creased his nose and muttered something back.

Okay, Ninten admitted that he might've felt a _bit_ jealous, except that both were wearing the same grave expressions as if someone's pet hamster had died. Then again, Paula _had_ been Ana's best friend, Ninten thought miserably, setting his head back down. Ana was obviously upset over her absence.

"You know... I heard that she's still open for the Halloween Dance tomorrow," Lucas piped up casually.

Ness's eyes lit up. "No way? Dude, this is your chance, ask her out to the dance!"

Ninten shook his head. "She always hangs out with Poo," he mumbled, crestfallen. "I bet he wants to ask her too-"

"Then what are you waiting for? Ask her to the dance before  _HE_  does, you prat!" Claus hissed, roughly shoving him her way by the shoulder.

"What?!" Ninten squeaked.

Ness grinned. "Claus makes a fine point. Just ask her."

"I wish it were that easy. Ness, you make it sound like it's simple, but it's not! I mean, this isn't like you and Paula. You two've been childhood friends since like, forever, but I've never really spoken to Ana before!" Ninten looked at them, as if silently pleading them to sympathize with his drowning despair. "I bet she doesn't know I even  _exist,"_  he lamented, gesturing dramatically towards some unseen crowd.

Ness rolled his eyes. At least he knew where all that Shakespeare went.

_Uh, dramatic much?_

_Shuddup, Ness. Like I don't see you eyeing Paula every chance you get._

There was an awkward pause before the realization hit Ninten.  _Wait, Ness-_

 _It's okay,_ Ness sounded quietly, though Ninten felt an undercurrent of pain briefly ripple through their mental contact _._  Friend or questionable romantic interest, Paula was undoubtedly someone special to Ness. To say that Ness felt absolutely horrible for her disappearance was the biggest understatement of the year.

 _Don't worry, Ness. I bet the police are pretty close to finding her._ Ninten winced at how half-assed his attempt at comfort sounded, but felt Ness's gratitude shift in his mind.

Then Claus ruined the heartfelt moment by smacking Ninten on the back of his head.

"Ow, what the hey," Ninten yelped, startled by the tap.

Obviously trying not to smirk, Claus responded with his deadpan. "It was long overdue."

Ninten stared at him in confusion before throwing his hands up into the air. "You know what, I'm not even gonna ask…"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

As soon as Creative Writing ended, Ninten burst out of class and rushed over to Ana's locker in a beeline, trying not to notice that three of his friends were sniggering and failing to hide completely out of his sight. Well, more like Ness and Claus; Lucas had been mature enough to reason with them – except that Claus had ignored his younger brother and dragged him along for the ride.

_This is so dumb! Why am I getting worked up over this? I'm just asking Ana to a **platonic**  dance tomorrow for the Halloween Party. No intimate feelings attached. No big deal._

_..._

_..._

_...Actually damn right, this is a big deal._

When Ninten saw Ana approach his way, his fingers started to sweat and shake. Swallowing down his nerves, Ninten stepped forward, her name already on his lips. "Hey, A-"

Except he was beaten to the punch by an unwelcome guest. "Ana."

"Finished class, Poo?" Ninten froze, then peered around the corner of a locker. Through gaps between the sea of students, Ninten saw Ana standing with her back turned to him, oblivious to Ninten's presence.

As if sounding relieved, Poo approached her on the other side. "Ah, it's a good thing I caught you. I was wondering if you were planning to attend the Celebration of Halloween Festivities?"

Ana gave a quiet giggle at Poo's phrasing. "The Halloween Dance? Yeah, I suppose so. Why do you ask?"

"Well... you see..." Poo looked nervous - highly unusual for the normally well-composed boy - before he shifted closer to her. A brief flare of jealousy flashed through Ninten's heart, which was coupled with despair when Ana made no move to shrug the other boy off.

Poo leaned in, lowering his voice into a mutter. Ninten inched forward, barely making out the last of his words. "...I want to talk to you.  _In private_."

Ana sounded surprised. "Sure. Where to?"

Ninten couldn't stand to stay any longer. Swiveling around, he turned on his heel, trying not to feel his own heart shattering to pieces. Gulping down the lump in his throat, Ninten strode to class, brushing aside the confused cries of his friends struggling over.

_Forget Poo. Forget Ana. F_ _orget **everything.**_

Because in that sinking moment, Ninten felt like the world's greatest loser.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus blearily opened his eyes, glancing at his bedside clock.

_**3:14 AM** _

Claus gave an exasperated groan before rolling over onto his side. He and Lucas had slept a late trying to perfect their Halloween costumes for tomorrow. Claus would've flat-out refused to participate had Lucas not come up with such an intriguing idea.

But forget the damn costume - Claus wanted  _sleep._  Except that he'd  _woken up_. Perfect. Now Claus was gonna feel both cranky AND sleepy in the morning. Stupid brain, waking him up in the middle of the night for no reason-

A barely audible sniffle caught his ear.

Claus's eyes flew open. Now, he  _definitely_  knew that he'd heard something. A quiet muffled sobbing to his right only seemed to confirm his suspicions.

"...Lucas?"

The moonlight was bright enough for Claus to catch the surprised look on his brother's face before Lucas caught his eye and hastily began wiping his tear track off with his pajama sleeves. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Lucas croaked. Mortified, he turned to face the wall, stuffing his face into his pillow to muffle his voice. "I-It's just a stupid nightmare..."

Claus wasn't fooled. Though sinking back to sleep was tempting, he couldn't just  _leave_  Lucas distressed like this. With a sigh, Claus made his way over, wrapping a comforting arm around his brother.

"Was it about mom?" he asked tentatively.

"No."

Claus's heart sank.  _Oh. Then it was THAT dream._ He poked his brother in the shoulder. "Hey. It's okay, I'm here."

"I know," Lucas responded in a thick voice. There was a comforting silence as Claus rubbed reassuring circles on his brother's back, and eventually, he felt Lucas's panicked breathing ease. Lucas laughed, a strange mix of embarrassment and fear, and even in the dark, Claus could tell that his twin was avoiding his eyes. "Sorry, this is so  _lame-"_

"It's not. I would've been pretty scared too if it were me." Claus swallowed down his nerves before pulling himself together. "I'm really sorry, Lucas."

With another shaky laugh under his breath, Lucas cracked a weak smile. "You're such a dork, Claus. Don't be. You're still here..." He yawned and stretched out his arms. "Huh... It's kinda early in the morning. We should get some sleep."

Claus couldn't help but throw him another look of concern. "You're not feeling sick again, are you?"

Lucas's eyes softened. "I'm  _fine_ , Claus. It was just a nightmare. You stayed. So stop beating yourself up over something that happened ages ago, okay?"

Claus snorted before slumping back into his own bed. "Okay, okay.  _Sheesh._  Just don't wet the bed crying for daddy-"

Lucas threw his pillow. Floating down, it smacked Claus gently in the face before bouncing onto the floor. "You're insufferable."

"You're impossible."

"You're such a ginger."

"Racist much?"

Mischief sparkled in Lucas's eyes. "I don't have a vendetta against all gingers. Just against you."

The corners of Claus's lips curved upwards. "Whatever. Good night."

"Night."

But barely a minute passed before a meek voice shattered the silence of the night. "Uh, Claus?"

"Yeah?"

"...Can you toss my pillow back?"


	9. F-F-Fire!

Another vivid nightmare visited Lucas that night.

Stumbling into a foggy mist, Lucas made his way through what felt like a cave. His fingers traced over the damp rocky surface, cold and wet to the touch. Droplets of water trickled down from their shining stalactites, leaving behind trails cool and moist against his face.

Unable to make out anything in the dark, Lucas stopped in place.

"Hello?" Lucas called out.

The cave whispered back his own words.

An outline of a figure blurred into sight with the poignant  _drip-drip_  of water. Lucas squinted into the gloom. "Boney? Dad?" An uncertain pause. "...Claus?"

 _Boney? Dad?_ His voice echoed back in Nature's banter. The walls of the cave shuddered and groaned. ... _Claus_?

Then he heard another voice.

A familiar voice.

Eyes round, Lucas turned around.  _"Mom?"_

Trying hard to smile at her son in spite of her injuries, Hinawa stayed sprawled on the ground, her long hair fanning out beneath her form in a grisly curtain. Coughing, she reached out to him with a shaking hand.

"My son," she whispered, her voice cracking from the effort of speaking. "I'm sorry. I can't protect you from the danger that awaits you..."

Lucas knelt by her side. "Mom," he gasped, hugging her, trying to instill some life into her limp form. "No, it's going to be okay-"

He felt something sticky in his hands. Lucas looked down at her chest wound in dismay, watching her warm blood stain his fingers. The sharp smell of rust suffocated him in a cloud, but Lucas gripped her hand tighter.

Uneven footsteps echoed behind him.

Lucas didn't have to turn around to know whose they were. "Claus, help me-"

When his brother gave no response, Lucas turned his head around. Claus met his eyes, before slowly -  _pointedly_  - glancing down at his leg, seemingly stuck in a crevice. Laying his mother on her side with a whispered apology, Lucas sprinted over, struggling to support Claus's weight, but no matter how hard he tried he tugged, Claus's leg refused to budge free.

The cave pulsated with a dark light as it began to rumble. Purple rings washed over the rocks like waves. Drowning out his mother's voice in a draconian roar, the cave began to quake, pelting loose pebbles onto their upturned faces.

As if in a last-ditch effort, Claus shoved him away. " _Lucas,_   _r_ _un_.  _Save yourself._ "

"What about you?" Terrified, Lucas watched Claus still struggling with his stuck leg. "You'll die!"

" _You must make a choice_." Something touched his arm, and Lucas looked down. His dead mother's eyes had burst wide open, her lips moving of their own accord. Her grotesque, spindly fingers wrapped him around the wrist so tightly that her fingernails dug into his skin.

"What do you mean?" Claus looked almost inhuman in the eerie light flooding the cavern walls. "What do I have to do?"

Unconcerned as if he were already dead, Claus watched him impassively. That stare sent a shiver down Lucas's spine: one of Claus's eyes was its usual blue, but the other glowed red. " _You lose,_ " he whispered.

With a hiss, the cave ceiling collapsed onto their heads...

But not before something sharp impaled Claus through the chest.

Lucas screamed.

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Nine**_ ~

_**F-F-Fire!** _

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* * *

"Wake up, sleepy head! We gotta go to school-"

Lucas's eyes snapped open to his brother's face peering down at him. Seeing him awake, Claus grinned. "Finally. Good riddance, I've been shaking you up for a whole minute. Listen, we're outta eggs, so you gotta tell me what you want for breakfast before dad wrecks the kitchen with his awful cooking."

Lucas could only watch him in dumb shock. "Claus... Y-Your eyes."

Claus frowned. "What about my eyes?"

"They're blue..."

"Uh, yeah. If you haven't noticed, we're twins." Claus looked at him weirdly, but upon noticing Lucas's sweaty face and clammy hands, his expression quickly turned anxious. "What, is it another nightmare? Do you need more rest? Feel another seizure coming? Fuck school, if you gotta see the doctor, that's more important-" Lucas felt his brother's tendril of thought prod his mind inquisitively, and hid his memories, sending a reassuring sentiment back to his brother in return. There was no need to worry Claus over something so trivial.

"No doctor. Just had another nightmare," Lucas mumbled before slumping out of bed to change out of his pajamas.

Frowning, Claus retracted his mental probe from his brother's mind. "All right, if you say so...  _Tickle tickle-"_  Lucas jumped, but too late -Claus had already wrung out a laugh out of him before running down the stairs with a mad giggle. "Ha! Too slow!"

"Claus, I said no tickling!" Lucas whined.

"Yeah, I heard you twice. Now hurry up, slowpoke! Or I'll send Dad up there to hose you down! No joke."

Still, as Lucas tugged on a striped shirt, the tight knot in his stomach refused to leave.

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~oO0Oo~

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"-way, so we can draw out our kidnapper-"

" _Giygas._ "

"-our  _kidnapper._ " Ness corrected firmly. "Anyways, there's gotta be more psychics around school, so we definitely haven't lost the trail. Like I said, all we hafta do is catch the kidnapper red-handed. So here's what I'm thinking," Ness continued to Ninten as they trudged over to their first class. "The Halloween Dance starts tomorrow at five."

Ninten snorted. "And this is important, because...?"

"It's a mandatory school event, and a pretty big dance at that. So I'm betting that most of the student body's gonna show... _including_ the spy and kidnapper-"

_"Giygas."_

"...the kidnapper. Don't give me that look, Ninten- you've said it before, innocent until proven guilty. So the dance...  _that's_  where we kick in. That dance is a good chance for us to scout out the kidnapper... If they show up to kidnap anyone else, that is."

"And if they don't?"

"Then it's back to the drawing board."

"Fine. I call the dance floor." Ninten tried to keep a straight face. "You go check out the classrooms! Yeah."

Ness wasn't fooled in the slightest. "That doesn't sound like a good idea..."

"What? I'll be careful. Ness, my dad's taught me how to control my freakin powers for  _years_. Of course it's a spanking brilliant idea-"

 _Don't deny it._ _You're gonna end up stalking Poo and Ana if you check out the dance floor-_

_Lies._

"Don't take this the wrong way. You'll only feel worse. Take it from a bystander of collateral damage." Ness's forehead creased with a frown. "Can't say that I'm surprised though. Never would've pegged Poo as the type to dive into a relationship freshman year, but it's not like he's  _unpopular_  with the girls either. Like, you've gotta be blind not to see his fan club strutting behind him everywhere he goes-"

"Yeah, he's not even that good looking!"

"Uh... that's not my point."

"Oh. What's your point?"

"...nevermind." Ness hoisted his bag onto his shoulders. "I'm gonna go to class first. See you later."

As soon as Ness disappeared around the corner, Ninten shut his eyes in concentration. As if to compensate for his lack of offensive PSI, Ninten  _knew_  that he was gifted with unusual psychic sensitivity from the second he'd been born.

For the past few years, he'd noticed a subtle buzzing sensation gnawing on his mind, but had simply dismissed it as his PSI going haywire. But now, knowing that Ness could also use PSI, Ninten realized that he was actually picking up on the energy cores of other psychics in the school.

...And if Ninten concentrated hard enough, he might  _just_  be able to track down that raw tingling sensation he had detected weeks ago. Without a doubt, this was an unimaginably vast pool of psychokinetic energy.

Powerful psychic Awakening?

Mysterious kidnapper on the loose?

And both happening at the same time? Definitely not a coincidence. Either the kidnapper was after a powerful psychic... or the kidnapper  _was_  one heck of a psychic themselves.

Neither of these conclusions made Ninten feel any better. "Come on, come on..." He scrunched his eyes shut in vain. The noisy babble in the courtyard definitely took a heavy toll on his focus. Great, he'd never filter out  _anything_  at this rate-

"Nice costume, Ninten."

Recognizing the voice, Ninten plastered on his vampire grin, readjusting his cape and fake teeth for his top-of-the-art Count Dracula act. "Fangks, Voocas.  _I VANT TO SUCK UR BLOOD._ " Ninten rasped, turning around to face both twins and halting at their expressions. Lucas seemed to be brimming with a quiet sort of excitement, while Claus looked, well... as bored as usual. "Wh- Did you two not dress up?"

"Dressing up's lame," Claus said bluntly.

"Really? Lucas said he was pretty excited about your costumes last week-"

Lucas shrugged off Ninten's words with an innocent blink. "I was, but the costumes took too much time to finish."

Ninten smirked.  _"Right_. I bet Claus was just being a surly prick-"

Claus snorted, then clapped a hand over his own mouth as if to stifle the sound. Expecting an indignant response at the very least, Ninten was beyond surprised when Claus violently started to convulse, looking like he was about to explode from holding back his laughter.

Instantly, Ninten raised his guard. Claus wasn't smirking. Claus was  _smiling_. Whenever Claus was in a good mood that put happy puppies to shame, Claus either had blackmail, or somebody ( _namely Ninten_ ) was about to get their ego crushed. Ninten eyed him with nothing short of terror. "Uh... Claus? You okay there?"

Sulking with a sour look on his  _own_  face, Lucas elbowed his brother in the ribs.  _You idiot! Stop smiling!_

Claus frowned, then dropped his smile in favor of a pained grimace, as if he were dying very slowly.  _How's this? I think this look suits your charming persona._

_You suck at acting._

_I bet this expression is the first thing you make in the morning._

Lucas tickled his brother with a playful scowl. Fending him off with an arm, Claus burst out laughing, unable to hold it back any longer, and clutched at his sides. As if triggering a chain reaction, Ninten couldn't help but crack up at the twins' weird facial expressions. Lucas and Claus were acting so out of character, it was hard to believe that they didn't switch bodies overnight.

Wait.

Hold that thought.

"Did you two dress up as each other?" Ninten blurted out.

The twins looked at each other.

They blinked once.

Twice.

Then "Lucas" whined. "Lucas, I told you not to give away our act so soon!"

"You smacked me on the arm. That was such a total give-away," "Claus" smirked.

Ninten grinned. "Clever trick, but you can't fool me. I've known you two long enough to know who's who," he marveled, even realizing that the twins had even dyed their hair to cover their subtle differences. "But that's a pretty neat trick. Wait til Ness sees this!"

"I doubt Ness would be fooled," "Claus" said.

"Oh, you'd be surprised, Clau-  _Lucas,"_  Ninten corrected, stuffing his math textbook into his bag. "You should've seen him earlier. Ness is definitely zoning out for the baseball game this week. I bet you a gazillion dollars that he won't notice anything today."

"Lucas" rolled his eyes. "Ness is gonna see through us right away. Ninten, there's  _no_  way he can't notice..."

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~oO0Oo~

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"-I can't believe he hasn't noticed yet," "Claus" whispered in awe. Ninten had to remind himself that it was  _Lucas_  who had spoken. Dammit, this switch-up was actually starting to get confusing.

"Told you so," Ninten whispered back, gesturing at an oblivious Ness, who was busy muttering random pitching strategies under his breath. "Ah, leave him be. It's kinda funny watching him go  _subconscious hippie_   _mode_  before every game."

They watched Ness in mutual agreement. Everyone knew that Ness had a strong stubborn streak - a trait that served him well whenever he needed to put his mind to a task. But this  _one-track_  mindset came with certain cons - namely, shutting out everything around him.

With a grin, Ninten gave Ness's mind a small poke.

 _Ness_ , he thought loudly.

Ness didn't even notice his presence. _...Need to pack extra gear in case anyone forgets their stuff, and double-check that we all have rides to the park... and oh yeah, Coach wanted me to pick up his water cooler this week-_

Ninten stifled a snigger before retracting his mind. "Yep, he's completely out of it."

Obviously unimpressed by Ness's inability to rub two braincells together and tell them apart, "Lucas" scowled down at the lunch table. Though Ninten knew it was actually  _Claus_  underneath that getup, he admitted it was - frankly -  _bizarre_  to see that expression on "Lucas"'s face.

Ironically, this finally caught Ness's attention.

Noticing how Lucas was glaring at the table as if it had offended him in some way, Ness eyed his best friend with a strange look. "Uh... Are you okay?"

"Lucas" coughed. "Stomach ache," he grunted.

Everyone stared at "Lucas" blankly. Ness expectantly waited for an explanation.

He received none.

An awkward few seconds passed.

_...Lucas. Your cue._

"Claus"'s face blanched. "O-Oh, no. You're  _dying!"_  he freaked out, grabbing his brother by the shoulders. "I think we need to take you to the school nurse-"

Ninten snorted into his milk.

"Lay off, I'm not  _that_  overprotective," "Lucas" hissed under his breath, glaring daggers at his brother.

"I think he hit his head too!" "Claus" wailed, ignoring him. "We need to get you checked out at the hospital-"

"For explosive diarrhea," "Lucas" deadpanned.

Lucas gaped.  _Claus, you didn't-_

_You asked for it._

Lucas's distraught expression was too much. Unable to keep it in, Ninten laughed out loud.

"Are you  _really_  sure you're okay, Lucas?" Ness started, watching him with the most befuddled expression possible. "If you ask me, you sound like you're kinda high-"

"Noooo, no, he's not high!" "Claus" blurted out, patting his brother on the back. "Lucas is just... tired! We were up late last night, weren't we _, brother?_ "

"Oh, yes. As a matter of fact, we were indeed up past midnight," "Lucas" smirked, stabbing his mashed broccoli. His voice dripped with playful sarcasm.

Narrowing his eyes, Ness quickly turned his attention to the resident redhead. "Claus, are you about to blackmail someone?"

"Claus" blinked. "No. Why?"

"You sound like you're in a good mood today."

"I'm always in a good mood."

"I mean, you know-" Ness fumbled for the right words. "You're usually a bit of a sourpuss-"

Furious, "Lucas" stood up. "YOU TAKE THAT BACK, YOU-  _Mmph!"_

"You're right," "Claus" grinned, covering his brother's mouth with his hands. "I'm a sourpuss, and I always will be."

_Lucas... Next time, I'm waking you up with a bucket of ice water._

_What? No fair!_

"Lucas" started snickering into his palms.

Poor Ness looked absolutely gobsmacked by this point. He poked his fork in their direction. "Okay, fess up. Why are you two freaking me out today?"

"We are?" the twins chimed, curiously leaning over the table in sync.

"AHA! THAT DOES IT," Ness yelled, slamming his palms onto the table. A spark of realization had entered his eyes. "Lucas, you-"

About time. They all held their breath for the inevitable conclusion...

"-have ketchup on your face."

The silence that followed was almost tangible.

Ninten punctured it with a forced cough.

"Claus" at least tried to keep a straight face for the first five seconds. "'Scuse me," he managed to say before cracking up into an uncontrollable bout of laughter.

On the other hand, a frustrated "Lucas" banged his head onto the table. "Have you lost your damn mind?!" Claus snapped loudly, lifting his head to gesture wildly at his brother. "Ness. We. Dressed. Up. As. Each. Other."

Ness raised his hands in defense. "Hold it. I was just kidding."

"About time you noticed," Claus grumbled, plopping back into his seat. "If you  _really_  couldn't tell us apart by now..."

"I wanted to see how long you two could last before Claus exploded," Ness explained, grinning. "How many people did you fool today?"

"Everyone except you two," Lucas admitted with a grin of his own before blowing away a strand of ginger hair from his face.

Ninten rubbed his head. There it was again, that strange, prickling sensation. It was growing stronger and stronger at the back of his mind...

 _Ness, I think I'm picking up traces of_ _magic from a strong source._ As Ninten "spoke," his eyes darted around. The mental buzz persisted in his mind, rippling out any other sources in the room and raising the hairs on his arms.  _This might be the psychic we were talking about... The psychic our kidnapper might be looking for. Whoever it is, they're close. And I mean REALLY close._

There was a pause as Ness swept over the room with his own mental scan.  _Now that you say it, I can feel it too. It_   _could be literally anyone in this room..._  Ness studied the large mass of people sitting in the cafeteria.  _Can_ _y_ _ou narrow down the source?_

_I don't think I can. Not with all this noise._

"Man, this is  _awesome,"_  Claus continued with a cackle, flexing his hands. He didn't seem to notice Ness's absence from the conversation. "I can do whatever mischief I want today, and not get in trouble!"

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Don't you dare ruin my record."

Claus stuck out his tongue. "Spoilsport."

"Lucas, stop bullying Claus and trying to plot mischief. That's MY job," Ninten chimed in, trying to ignore the weird buzzing. He rubbed his head.  _Quit it,_ he told himself.

"Lucas" feigned hurt. "Yeah, Lucas. You're so mean-"

"Claus!"

"I feel like I'm seeing double," Ness groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't you two ever pull this off again."

He missed a cheeky grin the twins shared.

"We won't," Lucas and Claus chimed at the same time, identical smirks widening on their faces as they both crossed their fingers behind their backs.

The rest of school surprisingly passed without any trouble.

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~oO0Oo~

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The Halloween Dance was just like any other high school dance: noisy, awkward, and chaotic.

Most of the students grooved on the dance floor in a wild, almost possessed fervor - complete with hair flipping, hand gestures, T-posing, and whatever was the latest trend in  _punky_  and  _stupid_. Others skulked around on the sidelines like they had nowhere else to go. Odd clusters of people raised their voices from time to time, trying to talk over the music drowning out their words.

In short, everyone was having a blast.

Everyone, that was - except for two people.

Ness dragged Ninten into the booming gymnasium. His eyes appraised the younger boy, reflecting the multicolored lights of the disco ball, and Ness could tell that Ninten was just as nervous as he was. "Guess this is it, 'Ten. I'm gonna survey the school from the boy's bathroom. Keep a low profile and all. Meanwhile, you stay inside and hone in on that PSI trail. If that powerful psychic's around somewhere, I bet that kidnapper's gonna mark them down next. So we'd better beat that kidnapper to it, and find that psychic."

"Easier said than done," Ninten grumbled, folding his arms. He gestured at the screaming mass of students and the obnoxiously noisy pop music blaring from the speakers. "I don't think I can track anything in this mes- hey, I thought  _you_  were gonna stay in the dance floor?"

"You're better at magic than I am. And you've got more experience. I don't think I'd have much luck if I stayed in here." Clapping him on the back, Ness turned sympathetic. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Ninten said, heart leaping slightly. And it  _was_  okay. Ninten could probably sneak a glance or two at Ana... Maybe even hold a conversation with her while he was at it. Poo had asked her out to a dance; he hadn't asked her out on a  _date._

Realizing that he was probably making some funny faces, Ninten tried to mask his feelings.

The good friend he was, Ness wisely decided against pointing this out. "Oh yeah, Lucas and Claus might be here too."

At this tidbit, Ninten snapped out of it. "I thought they weren't coming!"

"They said that they  _might_. Make sure they don't see you, okay? Better safe than sorry."

"Great," Ninten said glumly. "Just great, this day is getting better and better."

Because this was the first time Ninten had found the twins unwelcome.

If Lucas and Claus managed to spot him, Ninten couldn't think he could concentrate on finding the PSI trail  _while_  humoring them at the same time. Once seen, ditching either of the twins would be out of the question too. It would only raise further complications Ninten didn't want to think about.

"You'd better watch out too, Ness," Ninten said, narrowing his eyes. "Teachers are patrolling, and Giygas is here too."

Ness chuckled, fingering the bill of his trademark hat. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

The second Ness walked away, a dancing crowd of people swallowed him up. Fidgeting in trepidation, Ninten took a deep breath and exhaled.

Showtime.

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~oO0Oo~

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A stroke of fortune.

The janitor must have forgotten to lock the door.

**_Creak._ **

Wincing at the squeaky door, Ness cracked it open as slowly as he could, peeking inside once before slipping into Giygas's classroom. While Ninten's suspicions about Giygas might've sounded silly, it couldn't hurt to snoop around. Out of nervous habit, Ness glanced first at the crooked yellow  ** _THIS AREA IS UNDER SURVEILLANCE_** sign nailed onto the wall, then straight at the nearest surveillance camera in the hallway.

Luckily, all the cameras in the school were duds - fancy props to fool any outsiders. Without the funds to replace them, the administration had left them alone - another reason why the series of kidnappings had been so efficient.

With a last backwards glance, Ness shut the door behind him.

Giygas's classroom was plain with its storage cabinets, cheap teacher's desk, and sea of student desk-chairs. There probably wasn't any evidence lying around -  _it would've been pretty damn stupid for Giygas to leave anything incriminating in his own SCHOOL -_  but Ness glanced under each chair. He searched every nook and cranny. The storage cabinet was locked, but Ness knew from first-hand experience that it only contained math textbooks.

Ruling out the storage cabinet and the student desk-chairs, Ness crept up to Giygas's desk. He used his telepathy to make out the shape of the objects inside each drawer.

The first contained an assortment of pens and pencils. Nothing suspicious.

The second had several jagged objects. From the feel of it, Ness deduced they were protractors, rulers, and small pieces of chalk. Again, nothing suspicious.

The third time, he struck gold. Figuratively speaking. Ness opened his eyes. The contents of the bottom drawer themselves hadn't tipped him off -  _felt like a sheet of paper_  - but because of this, he almost overlooked the subtle buzz of energy radiating from the keyhole. Was it PSI?

 _Ninten_.

_Yo, what's up?_

_I'm digging through Giygas's classroom._  Ness glanced at the door. Thankfully, no one seemed to be outside. _Don't think there's anything here, but the very bottom drawer of his desk is sealed with PSI._

A pause.  _Try unlocking it with your own magic._

Ness hovered one hand over the lock, and closed his eyes in concentration. The lock shuddered violently under his touch, but the drawer refused to open.  _I_ _can't. I think the lock only opens to a certain PSI signature._ _D'you wanna come over and give it a shot?_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_...Ninten?_

Ness heard no response except static.

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~oO0Oo~

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The twins had arrived late to the dance.

Claus squinted into the boggling mass of students for what seemed like the  _trillionth_  time. "Where the heck  _are_  they?"

"There's Ana-"

"But no Ninten."

Flint had needed them on the farm. By the time they'd finished, the brothers had been covered head-to-toe in dirt and sweat. To their disappointment, they had to shower, which meant washing away not only the dust, but also the hair dye they had carefully applied the day before. So much for their costumes.

Claus irritably flicked away his now-ginger hair. Yet, the excitement in the packed dance floor couldn't help but brighten up his sour mood. As the catchy beat intensified, Claus seemed to feed off the rising energy in the room.

On the other hand, poor Lucas looked vastly uncomfortable. He winced as rapid-fire sixteenth notes assaulted his ears. Being stuffed inside a crowded gym wasn't exactly his cup of tea. "We could wait outside. Ness and Ninten might not have arrived yet."

"What?" Claus almost yelled when the volume of the DJ hiked up, and Lucas repeated himself louder. He could barely make out Lucas's voice over the music. "Yeah, well they'd better come. Ninten still owes me five dollars for lemonade-"

"I'm thirsty," Lucas piped up.

"Vending machine's right-"

"Where's the water fountain?"

Claus snorted. "The water fountain? Really? That stuff's  _gross-"_

They walked out of the noisy gym. The school corridor was eerily quiet in comparison. Lucas's cheeks turned pink from embarrassment. "I forgot my change."

Quickly, Claus dug through his own pockets. "I have money-"

"No! You're saving up for the new video game," Lucas protested, before making a hasty beeline for the water fountain.

"Well, who needs video games when you can use  _real powers?"_

Lucas almost spat out his water. He coughed, clutching his chest. "Not here!"

Claus cracked a smirk. "Why? Afraid of...  _this?"_  He opened his right hand. Jagged bolts of electricity erupted from the tips of his fingers, gravitating towards the center of his hands. A crackling sphere of lightning nestled in his palms, lighting up Claus's awed features. "Seriously though, Lucas. This is super cool. I can do all sorts of awesome stuff now-"

Lucas warily watched the ball of destruction. "Claus, put that down..."

Claus playfully waved the crackling sphere in his face like an explosive baseball. "Relax, there's nobody here."

"It's making me nervous."

The energy ball swelled. Claus's palm began to glow brighter, and Claus decided to tease Lucas at his brother's own expense. "You never said  _whyyy-"_

Lucas scrabbled for his hands. "I said, stop it!"

"Okay, I will! Don't push me," Claus flustered, distracted by Lucas's sudden reaction.

In that split second, Claus's concentration wavered. Lucas's hand accidentally brushed against stray a bolt of lightning, swatting it towards the bronze bell of the fire alarm.

A blue flame blossomed onto the wallpaper with an ominous  **' _floom_.'**

Then all hell broke loose.

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~oO0Oo~

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A few classrooms away, Ninten scanned the crowd for any "suspicious" figures.

If he stayed too long in one place, the odds of someone stopping by to chat only increased.

No thank you. More distractions were the last thing he needed.

So Ninten waded through the sweaty crowd in search of his target.

For the umpteenth time that day, Ninten tried again to hone in on any trace of powerful magic buried in the sea of teenage madness. Brimming with pride, Richie showed off a perfect cheer leader flip to yells of  _HOLY SHIT_  and  _dID YOU SEE THAT_. Pokey resurfaced from the punch table before the crowd swallowed him up. Ninten even swore he might've seen Ana and Poo swaying together on the sparkling tiles, but they disappeared before he could take a closer look.

Jazzing it up on the sidelines, Fuel seemed like he was sharing a terrible joke, surrounded by a nervously laughing Lloyd and a clearly unimpressed Angie.

_("Hey baybee, what do you call Fuel on fire? **Hot**."_

_"Hahaha..."_

_"That was awful, Fuel."_

_"AnGIE, I was talking to LLOYD-")_

Detecting PSI was like trying to filter out a certain radio frequency.

And the noise here was ridiculously loud.

So far, Ninten was disappointed. He hadn't detected anything even remotely interesting. Downtrodden by his failure, he decided to backtrack to the refreshment table and try his luck there.

Halfway across the gym Ninten was stopped by a hand on his arm. A teacher? Oh boy. Considering his troublemaking rep, it wouldn't have been the first time-

"Excuse me, Ninten."

Ninten turned around, stunned by who had just spoken to him. "...  _Poo?"_

The Dalaamese international student stood alone. To Ninten's growing surprise, there was a look of worry on Poo's face. "Have you seen Ana recently?"

"Uh, no." Ninten raised an eyebrow. "Was I supposed to? She was  _your_  dance partner."

"She left with another classmate whom I do not know well... This is not good." Poo swore something in his native tongue, stunning Ninten - it was the first time he'd ever heard Poo curse. The usually composed boy seemed anxious beyond his wits. "If you see her, can you let me know? Please? Thank you."

Without wasting another second, Poo sprinted away.

Ninten was beyond baffled. Despite his resentment towards Poo, he couldn't deny the inevitable, and gut instinct told him that something was clearly wrong.

And if it involved Ana...

"Poo!" Ninten bellowed, shoving through the crowd, ignoring the annoyed glares he received from his peers. "Wait up!"

 _Ninten_.

 _Yo, what's up?_ Ninten answered back, keeping track of Poo's retreating form as he followed.

 _I'm digging through Giygas's classroom._   _D_ _on't think there's anything here, but the very bottom drawer of his desk is sealed with PSI._

Ninten squinted around. Did he just lose sight of...? No, wait, he caught a flash of Poo's braid at the entrance of the gym. Poo was about to enter the school corridor. Ninten followed, twisting and ducking around flailing limbs and bodies.  _Try unlocking it with your own magic._

A pause.  _I_ _can't. I think the lock only opens to a certain PSI signature._ _D'you wanna come over and give it a shot?_

Before Ninten could respond, a hand roughly clamped onto his shoulder, startling him for the second time that day. In that split second, Poo vanished from sight, the double doors flapping behind him.

"Running inside school premises? Your lack of consideration never fails to astound me, Ninten."

Ninten scowled, roughly shaking off the hand in distaste. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll do another detention, whatever, I gotta go right now-"

"Got to go?" Giygas raised an eyebrow. A weird distortion of rainbow flashed across his face; the disco lights had just washed over them. "You have no respect for school rules. Would you like me to call your parents in for your misconduct?"

Ninten could hear Ness's worried thoughts poking at his head, but he couldn't answer back with the teacher so close by. A blank face was a tell-tale sign of telepathy, and if Giygas was a PSI user too, he could definitely recognize it.

"No, sir," Ninten said stiffly.

His teacher's cold eyes studied him. Ninten felt goosebumps rise from his arms at the icy chill. "Do you feel unwell?"

"Nope, just gotta go to the bathroom. Can I leave?"

Then Giygas's eyes flickered to his face. An odd tone colored his voice. "I know that you're not normal. If you have a fever, you should sit down."

"Gee, thanks-"

"You're a psychic."

Ninten's blood froze. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about," he stammered, taking a step backwards, and Giygas opened his mouth to say something that would've been memorable-

Then the fire alarm went off.

Giygas jerked his head up at the shrill noise. He stared at the blaring lights in utter incomprehension. "What in the world...?"

Mass pandemonium broke out as students began to scream. The sprinklers activated, showering more confusion onto the already panicking crowd. Much to Ninten's relief, Giygas strode away, joining the other teachers to evacuate students outside in an orderly manner.

Squeezing past the stampede of students, Ninten clawed his way towards Giygas's open classroom. The hallways began to fog up with smoke. Fervently thanking the distraction, he kicked open the door and sprinted over to the teacher's desk. To his surprise, Ness wasn't here, but as he reached that conclusion, a familiar tendril of thought prodded his mind.

_Ness?_

_Ninten!_  Ness exclaimed.  _I thought something bad happened to you!_

_Sorry, it's a long story. I'll tell you later._

_Where are you?_

_Right now? Checking out Giygas's desk._

_You WOT? Ninten, forget it, there's a freaking fire in the school!_

_I know, airhead!_  Black tendrils of smoke seeped into the closed room. Maybe this  _was_  a good time to panic.  _Ness, tell me how you tried to open the drawer so I can_ _get the heck out of here!_

To his credit, Ness kept enough of a cool head to belt the answer out.  _Place your right palm over the lock. N_ _othing happened when I tried, but you might have better luck pickpocketing it with telepathy._

Ninten hovered his hand over the lock. His fingers shook, and he could see his hands perspiring profusely from the rising heat. After several seconds, Ninten felt an energy pulse from the lock. Almost like a magnet, the pulse seemed to align his hands into a certain position. His right hand tingled with a sudden rush of power, then to his surprise, his palm glowed once before the lock unclasped itself with a  _ **clink**_. The drawer slid agape, revealing a piece of paper. Well, that was anticlimactic.

_Unlocked it._

_You did?_ Ness said, bewildered.  _I thought the lock would only react to Giygas's magic!_

 _Same. Oh well, I'm not complaining._  Ninten stuffed the document into his jacket. More smoke poured in from the corridor, and Ninten coughed from the suffocating heat.

_Ninten!_

_I think the fire's blocking the door,_  Ninten responded weakly. This was bad, really bad. An asthma attack was the last thing Ninten needed right now. Flames now licked the sides of the classroom, devouring the wallpaper.

 _The windows,_  Ness exclaimed. _They're unlocked!_

Ninten grunted in exertion as he slid the half-open window open. Without wasting a second, he threw himself over the windowsill. Just in time too, because the classroom exploded into flames.

Ninten turned around, watching the burning wreckage with a look of fascinated horror.

Well, that could've gone badly.

Returning to his senses, a dazed Ninten sprinted toward the cluster of students gathered outside. Luckily, everybody seemed disoriented. No one seemed to have noticed that he had been missing. He searched the crowd for a trademark baseball cap as frantic teachers ran a rollcall.  _Ness, I'm outside. Where are you?_

 _Uh...,_ Ness paused. He sounded reluctant to answer.  _I'm still inside the school._

 _What?!_  It was Ninten's turn to shriek mentally.  _What the hell are you doing there? Get out!_

_Give me a sec. I wanna check something._

_What's so important about- Ness? Are you listening to me? Hello? You're gonna die!_

_..._

"Damn it," Ninten swore. Ness was either purposely ignoring him or seriously injured. He fervently hoped it was the former. Instinctively raising his hand when his name was called out on the roster, Ninten stood in place, mind racing. In any case, the sprinklers had been activated, so the fire shouldn't be much of a threat anymore... but their teachers were bound to notice Ness's absence soon-

"I wonder what triggered the fire alarm?" Jeff pondered out loud next to him, drying his glasses on his shirt. The rim of his glasses were still dripping wet from the fire sprinklers.

"Probably a gas leak," Ninten said impatiently, craning his neck to look around.

"Highly doubtful. A maintenance man checked the pipes last week. The school was in perfect condition. By the way... where's Ness?" Ninten should've known better than to hope he wouldn't ask - Jeff was good childhood friends with the missing idiot.

Sheesh. Was anyone  _not_  a childhood friend of Ness?

Ness knew everybody.

Or rather, everybody knew Ness.

"Look, I don't know, man," Ninten managed to say, internally praying that the stubborn idiot wasn't injured.

"Don't tell me he's still inside the school," Jeff said sharply.

"Too late for tha-  _shit."_  Ninten's heart sank when his homeroom teacher began raking her beady eyes across their faces. "Miss Marshmallow's calling Ness out for roll call."

"-I repeat.  _Ness,"_  the woman barked. "Young man, respond to your name!"

"PRESENT!" A voice loudly crowed from the back. Both Ninten and Jeff jumped in shock, swiveling around to spot a sooty, but very-much-alive, Ness. "Hey guys."

"Ness! You're pitch black and covered in soot, but you're all right," Jeff said, flocking over to check on him, and Ninten relaxed.

"It'll take more than a fire to get rid of me," Ness said, still grinning. The ambulance and firetrucks pulled up in a line next to the school, their wailing sirens drowning out the fire alarm inside.

Ness caught Ninten's eye in concern.  _Are you okay? That explosion looked nasty._

 _I barely escaped with my nine lives intact, but I'm lookin' awesome. PK Healing does wonders, I tell you_. Ninten grinned, patting the document hidden in his jacket. Ness didn't look convinced, but Ninten's face hardened when he finally remembered why he was angry.  _And don't lecture me, you idiot! W_ _hat in the blazes - haha, blazes- What the blazes were you doing?_

 _Before the fire alarm rang, I sensed a major rush of magic in the left corridor. Like, a MASSIVE WAVE of psychic power. It's gotta be them, Ninten. The powerful psychic._ Ninten looked stunned, and Ness hurried forth. _I tried using telepathy, but with the students evacuating, I couldn't figure out who the caster was. There was a giant scorch mark on the fire alarm bell, so someone used their magic - deliberately or unintentionally - to set off the alarm. And that's not all,_ He added to Ninten's exclaim of alarm.  _Shortly afterwards, I felt several rapid pulses of PSI right outside the school. When I teleported there to check it out, there was no one there, but I saw fresh signs of a struggle..._

_A struggle? Do you think whoever was outside set off the alarm?_

_Not likely,_  Ness said grimly.  _Their PSI signatures were different. Our caster was indoors._

Ninten looked stunned.  _Why would anyone set off the fire alarm?_

_That's what I'd like to know._

_I've got nothing_ _. But-_  Ninten grabbed him over by the arm.  _Ness, Giygas knows! He knows that I'm a psychic!_

_He what?!_

Before Ninten could explain, a flash of red hair suddenly caught his eye. "Claus? You're here?!"

At his shout, Claus flinched before realizing who'd spoken. "Oh. It's only you," he muttered, averting his eyes. Ness detected the subtle tremor in his voice, but before he could question him, Lucas had flanked his brother's side.

With equally sooty hair, Lucas gave a weak excuse of a laugh. "I guess we won't be going to any more dances soon..."

Ness frowned. Was it just his imagination or did Claus look guilty? The twins  _did_  look pretty shaken up... Then again, no one had expected a fire to obliterate what seemed like half their school.

"Glad to know that you guys made it out in one piece," Ness said sincerely.

"Likewise." Lucas stared at his shoes. "I just hope that nobody was hurt," he said quietly. Oddly enough, Claus said nothing to reassure his brother, but stood glumly in silence.

Suddenly a huge commotion erupted in front of them. As sobbing parents took away their children home, the four boys caught the police re-engaging the teachers in a flurry of activity, talking in serious undertones. Still, around them, several teens who had caught their words looked horrified. Some of the girls started to cry openly at the ruckus.

"W-What's going on?" Ness interrupted, eyes widening as the adults began ordering everyone to line up yet a second time. "Why are we doing roll call again?"

"Didn't you guys hear Miss Tessie?" Jeff asked with a frown. When the four of them shook their heads, Jeff grimly pushed up his glasses.

"Poo and Ana are missing."

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~oO0Oo~

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_First Kumatora, then Paula..._

_Now, Poo and Ana..._

Ninten played with his food, feeling queasy.

Luckily no one else was injured in the fire. It was too early to confirm, but Ness had confided his personal suspicions that Poo and Ana hadn't been killed by the fire. As if to prove his point, police dogs confirmed that the two students had made their way outside the school before the fire erupted, but from there, the police could find no sign. Ana and Poo had completely vanished without a trace. Now Ninten finally understood the anxiety that Ness had felt when Paula went missing. Just thinking about Ana's shy smile made him want to throw up in worry.

But surprisingly, Poo's face haunted his mind the most. Poo had known something Ninten and Ness had not, and now, it was much too late to ask him.

Guilt welled up inside Ninten. He might not have been close to Poo as Ness had been, but the Dalaamese boy had always been nothing but polite and kind, even if Ninten had treated him like shit.

He wondered how Ness was handling the sudden loss of two childhood friends.

And as if the drama of the Halloween Dance wasn't enough to worry about, Ninten had another surprise in store.

_"Master Ken, your parents are here."_

_He ignored the maid._

_A second later, his frowning mom rested a hand on his bedroom door. "I sent Electra up to fetch you. Get dressed, Ken."_

_"Why? Is it another one of dad's dinners with a client? Because if it is, I'm not going." Ninten flopped onto the bed, completely drained. His gut roiled at the thought of what had happened at the dance. All he wanted to do now was read the stolen document._

_"No clients this time," his mother said patiently. "We're going to your great grandfather's for dinner._ _I'm sure Electra reminded you last week-"_

_Ninten moodily stared up at the ceiling. "I still don't want to go."_

_In her carmine dress, Mimmie flounced around Ninten's bed, giggling at her brother's blank expression. "Ken never cares about anything except for Oreos, mum."_

_"Shut up," he scowled back._

_"Who taught you that crude language?" his father suddenly said, arriving into his room. Ninten hastily sat up._ _Mimmie stuck out her tongue behind her father's back, then pranced away to talk to her sister. "Don't take that attitude with your sisters. Dress."_

_"Fine," Ninten sulked, trudging over to his wardrobe. He heard his mother murmuring something under her breath. His father left._

_"Ken, dear..." His mother's expression softened. "I heard. Mary_ _Antoinette's daughter went missing today. She was a nice girl._ _"_

_Closing his eyes, Ninten breathed in, counting to ten. "I didn't know her too well," he muttered._

_His mother crouched down to button the top of his dress shirt. "Sometimes, I wonder if it was a good decision. Sending you off to that public school," she said, undoing and redoing the tie around his neck. "With all these kidnappings in one go and half the school in shambles..."_

_"It's the best public school in Onett, mom."_

_"Think about all the private schools out of town. Nice academies, just like the one we enrolled your sisters in. A good boarding school. Your father holds Winters in high esteem-"_

_Buttoning the rest of the dress shirt on, Ninten tugged the tie down. The cuffs of his shirt swallowed up his thin wrists. "I don't want to go to Winters," he said plaintively like a small child. "I like going to school here."_

_"You do?"_

_"Yeah."_

_Smiling, she kissed him in the forehead. "Don't you look handsome."_

_Ninten cracked a sarcastic smile. "Of course I do."_

_"There's that million dollar smile." His mother ushered him out of his bedroom. "Let's get going. Your father and sisters are waiting outside in the car."_

Hence, Ninten was stuck at the dinner table in a tight-collared shirt. With a fucking  _tie_.

Seriously, what was the occasion? Prom night?!

On the contrary, Ninten loved his great grandparents. Great-granddad George was light-hearted and loved punny humor. Ninten still had fond memories of his great-grandmother Maria, who had passed away when he had turned five. There were moments Ninten sorely missed her: everything from her warm hugs that promised love, to her homemade chocolate chip cookies that melted in his mouth and made everything a thousand times better. The cookies never tasted as sweet after her absence.

He was brought back to earth when George abruptly brought up something to his mom, "-confess I have news. Your brother's joining us for dinner today."

Ninten's father paused. "Ah. Charming fellow."

"...Huh," Ninten's mother said, tapping her fingers against the table with a frown. A hint of her heavy European accent shone through. "That's new."

"You don't say," his father said, looking visibly irritated.

Ninten stifled a snort at the annoyed face his father was sporting, but secretly wondered about his long-lost relative. Ninten had  _n_ ever seen his uncle in person before. In fact, Ninten didn't know that he  _had_  an uncle.

"I have an uncle?" Ninten blurted out.

George was all to happy to explain. "Yes you do, Ken. You saw him just once as a toddler," he said wearily, setting his fork and spoon down. "Your adoptive uncle was a fine lad. Me and Maria, we raised him with your mother there. My son and daughter-in-law were irresponsible folk who left your mother in our care, so naturally, Maria wanted to adopt a sibling for her." George nodded towards Ninten's mother, who was now rebuking Mimmie and Minnie for blowing bubbles in their drinks. "Ever since... well, since Maria died, I lost touch with your uncle. It's been... how many years since we talked? Time flies." George coughed. "He has an interesting sense of humor. I think you two will get along well."

The doorbell rang.

"Ah, that must be him. Ken, if you could...?"

"Sure thing." Ninten walked over to the doorway. In one swift motion, he unlocked the chain and tugged the bronze door handle in.

The door swung open, revealing an unexpected, but  _very_  familiar face.

"Good evening, Ken," Giygas said wryly.

_...Hail Mary._


	10. Passing Down Secrets

After George excused himself to check on a pot of simmering gravy, Ninten's mother had risen to fetch silverware. Minnie and Mimmie, after regarding their strange uncle with childish curiosity, had pitter-pattered off into the living room to play with their dolls.

Back in the dining room, Ninten's father looked like he had swallowed a lemon. Still, the defense attorney did his best to draw out conversation with the other intimidating presence in the dwelling.

...If it could even be called a conversation. Neither party said more than a few words.

With the air of someone being led to the gallows, Ninten swallowed a spoonful of mashed potatoes. The dry mush glued his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Clearing his throat to dislodge the stuck food, Ninten finally interrupted the stony atmosphere with a pointed question.

"Can someone pass me the ketchup?"

To his surprise, his teacher - no, adopted Uncle _-_ had wordlessly handed him the condiment bottle. For a split second as Giygas slid the ketchup across the table top, their eyes met.

Then Ninten broke eye-contact by coughing and averting his gaze to the dinner table. "...Thanks," he muttered, squirting the ketchup noisily onto his plate. In response, Giygas gave a jerky nod before stiffly re-engaging his father about the woes of the recent stock market crash.

Ah, the joy of an awkward family dinner.

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Ten**_ ~

_**Passing Down Secrets** _

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* * *

Ninten glued his eyes to the smiley label on the ketchup bottle. He was somehow related -  _related! -_ to his supposedly evil Calculus teacher. Utterly unbelievable. Scratch that, the thought was suffocating.

Escape was to be had.

Ninten glanced at around the table, gauging the level of tension. Seemed like it had already skyrocketed to  _Cold War_. Ninten considered making a run for it, but after long thought, reluctantly decided to stay put. It wasn't every day that your long lost uncle was a presumed evil mastermind. Perhaps something positive might actually come out of this experience...!

Yeah, right.

So instead, Ninten entertained himself by imagining a fluorescent sign flashing above Giygas's head along the lines of  _ **"Beware! Evil. Handle with Extreme Caution."**_

Fortunately, Ninten's mom emerged from the kitchen before he could get any more stupid thoughts. "Are you still grilling my husband on failing economics?" his mother asked wryly.

Turning around, Giygas lent her a passable excuse of a smile. "No."

Holy shit, Giygas _SMILED._ Ninten was sure that somewhere a thousand babies died from that smile.

George sunk into his chair. "You teach math at the local school now?" When Giygas gave a jerky nod, George still looked surprised. "I guess times change. I don't recall you having much fondness for children-"

"I tolerate my students." Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "Your great grandnephew would know well."

George's pupils dilated. "You two know each other?"

All eyes flew to Ninten's face.

Of course. Trust Giygas to put the pressure on  _him._

Ninten tugged on his sweaty collar. "He's my Calculus teacher," he muttered sourly.

To Ninten's own surprise, his mother broke her demeanor with a bright laugh. "Gregory... did  _you_  give my son detention?"

_Gregory?_

Giygas's smile quirked upwards. "Guess so."

"No wonder I couldn't tell. You changed your name." His mom didn't sound too angry though ( _which was totally unfair,_  Ninten fumed), and even worse, Giygas looked pretty pleased with himself. Egotistical jerk.

Then Ninten noticed how everyone around the table relaxed. So  _everybody_  was afraid of Giygas. Go figure.

"I changed my name shortly after our grandmother's passing if you remember, Carol."

"I can't say that I do," His mother said wryly. The heavy European accent had returned, like it did whenever she was upset. "We haven't heard a word of you since."

Grimacing at her tone, Giygas excused himself by having a sip of hot tea.

Ninten silently agreed with the name-change. He tried to picture it.  _Professor Gregory_  didn't sound as intimidating as  _Professor Giygas_.  _Gregory_  didn't have that  _ring_  to it, that same mysterious tone of...  _DESPAIR._  Besides, the name just sounded  _wrong._  Calling Giygas "Gregory" was akin to calling a savage, man-eating wolf, "puppy."

"What brings you here tonight? You've never returned to visit family after you left on such a short notice," George asked with a cough.

Ninten snapped up his head, studying Giygas with heightened curiosity. Giygas left home, but didn't bother keeping in touch with his foster family.

Why?

Giygas ignored Ninten's sudden bout of interest, helping himself to another serving of stir-fried soy noodles. "My work demands much of my time. Apart from teaching, I...  _adopted_  a research facility at the base of Holy Loly Mountain."

"I heard that being a teacher doesn't pay too well these days-"

"I've collected my assets from a useful part-time job in treasure hunting. I love to research. Research is my primary focus, George," Giygas said dismissively. "Namely, I conduct  _safe_  experiments that are relevant to the study of longevity. I hope you understand."

Ninten picked up the emphasized word with a wince. There was no doubt about the frigid edge seeping into Giygas's tone. His voice rang with a strange bitterness that Ninten couldn't identify.

Clearly, there was history between the two.

And it was  _bad._

George looked vastly uncomfortable. He'd paused with a hand over his napkin. "I... I suppose I see your point."

"I'm glad you do," Giygas said pleasantly, even though he didn't sound very glad at all.

Ninten narrowed his eyes. "Drop the act. What do you really do there?"

In an instant, Giygas's lips curled in amusement, and Ninten gritted his teeth. His teacher obviously didn't take him too seriously. "Your interest is surprising. I didn't know that you had an investment in science. I was told that you held a greater preference for the literary arts-"

"Curiosity isn't a sin."

"Very true, Ken," Giygas said softly. "I can see why you would make an excellent lawyer." His eyes flickered over to Ninten's mother. "Careful, Carol. I'm afraid your son might sue me for liability."

His mother gave a dry smile, and Ninten scowled, shoving his hands under the dinner table.

Giygas took another slow draught of tea. "To answer your question, Ken... my current research measures the emotional intelligence of artificial beings. Can robots feel the same way as humans? Is it cognitively possible? These are a few of the questions I strive to answer. I'd like to say that the drive stemmed from my avid interest in psychology." Giygas's mouth twitched slightly as if sharing a private joke. "The power of the human mind is amazing. Don't you agree?"

Ninten abruptly stood up. He had had enough of this  _pretending-to-be-nice_  bullshit. "May I be excused?"

His mother shot him a look of disapproval. "Ken, that is no way to treat your uncle. _"_

"I need to use the restroom," he lied, making up an excuse on the spot.

George seemed confused, but nodded. "Go ahead. Fourth door up the stairs."

"Thanks." Avoiding Giygas's burning eye contact, Ninten almost launched himself out of his seat, shooting up the stairs two at a time.

_Giygas is up to something, I know it. There's no way someone like him would come to an idle dinner like this-_

The last of his mother's voice petered into the background. "I'm sorry. Ken isn't usually this rude-"

Slamming the restroom door shut, Ninten slid down to the ground onto his trembling knees. He buried his head in his hands.  _What's wrong with me? Giygas was at least trying to be civil..._

_Is it just me?_ _Am I being paranoid?_

_No._

_I need answers._

Flipping out his phone, Ninten paused, scrawling through his contacts. But who to call...?

He wanted to ask Ness. Heck, he even wished Lucas and Claus were here. All three of them would offer constructive advice, and Ninten desperately needed that logic now, especially with his feelings scrambled in a mess.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock on the bathroom door.

"THIS BATHROOM IS OCCUPIED," Ninten snapped.

Giygas paused. His voice filtered through the door. "Really? I was unaware that it was. Now then, do you have a moment to spare?"

"NO. I'M BUSY."

A slight chill entered Ninten's mind before Giygas spoke up again, his words laced with condescending distaste. "You don't seem to be doing anything except moping around on the floor."

"I TOLD YOU, I'M BUSY IN THE BATHROOM-"

"-in a bathroom that's unlocked?" With a sigh, Giygas swung the bathroom door open, and Ninten swore, jumping to his feet. His knees were shaking so hard that Giygas could simply poke him in the shoulder, and Ninten was sure he'd keel over onto the floor without resistance.

He eyed the space between Giygas and the open doorway.  _If I distract him long enough, maybe I could slip back downstairs..._

"Don't you dare try anything," Ninten warned, readying a sparking finger in his direction. "I don't know what lame trick you're trying to pull, but it's not fooling me. You said I was psychic... you  _KNEW_  I was psychic."

Giygas ignored his threat and walked closer. The man must've either been incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. "Ken-"

_Here comes the interrogation-_

"Have you seen any  _Starmen_  on the loose?"

" _I didn't do any-_  huh?" Snapping his head up, Ninten felt his own breath hitch in shock. "Barman? Like, a bartender? I dunno, why are you asking me? I'm underage-"

"Starmen. Not  _bar man_. Silver humanoid robots resistant to PSI," Giygas said, now sounding a hint irritable. When Ninten continued to look at him blankly, Giygas snapped, "And for heaven's sake, lower your arm before you blow the entire house up!"

"Why do  _you_  wanna know if I've seen any robots on the loose?" Ninten snapped back, clenching his other fist. He refused to lower his guard for even a second, and so, the sparking finger stayed.

"I have my suspicions that these robots are kidnapping the psychics in the city."

"Are you threatening me?" Ninten said quietly.

Giygas looked taken aback. With a slow blink, his teacher searched him with a cautious look. "You think that I'm behind this."

Ninten threw him a pointed glare. No, duh.

"Fitting, I suppose. My conduct towards you hasn't been particularly pleasant," Giygas said wryly.

_You think?_

Giygas snorted, and Ninten flushed when he realized that he'd been thinking out loud. "Have it your way. I'll tell you what I know, and you can make whatever you wish out of it."

"It'd better be convincing," Ninten muttered.

Giygas ignored him. The sheer nerve of his egotistical... ness. Ninten wanted to punch the arrogant man in the jaw. The man stiffly drew himself up. "Recently, I suffered from a theft."

"How tragic."

Giygas either didn't register Ninten's sarcasm, or ignored him again. "Someone has stolen one of my research projects.  _Project Starman_  to be precise. The project involves the installation of an upgraded sensor to my Starmen. This sensor can detect energy fluctuations in the surrounding environment within a certain radius."

Ninten hesitated. "Can the sensor detect... telepathy?"

Giygas's lips curled into a sneer. "No, it cannot. The sensors are  _ENERGY_ -sensitive, and thus,  _CANNOT_  sense your mental activity. However,  _USING PSI_  creates a disturbance, releasing energy into the environment. The sensor can detect this energy flow. And that is where my problem lies: someone has stolen these blueprints. I imagine that whomever it is has tweaked the  _Starmen_ to track down psychics with that very energy sensor."

His blood ran cold. Ninten lowered his arm. "Ness was attacked," he said before he could catch himself.

"If any of your friends are psychic, then they're at high risk for capture."

"Is that what happened to Ana and Poo?"

"My answer's not definitive, but if I had to hazard a guess - yes. They've become the newest victims of our alleged kidnapper."

"Oh wow, thanks for filling me in. If you knew about it, then why haven't you done anything to stop the attacks?" Ninten spat, prodding him in the chest. "Where are the kidnapped students now? Who's responsible?"

Now more visibly irritated, Giygas's eyes flashed a distorted blue. "What do you think I've been doing for the past few months?  _I_  fund my own research. My lab work is an expensive hobby. It's difficult enough to conduct research with a full-time job, and I have to stay undercover myself." To Ninten's astonishment, Giygas snapped his fingers together, and a holographic shimmer of cosmic black pentagons swam around the room before dissolving into obsidian sparks. "Now remove your finger. It's catching my shirt on fire."

Ninten glanced down at his finger. There was a charred hole in Giygas's shirt.

Hastily, Ninten stepped back. "Oops."

Giygas straightened his back. "I suppose I deserved that."

Waiting for the expected  _you-charred-my-shirt-how-horrible-now-apologize-right-now-young-man_  lecture, Ninten snapped his head up in shock for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. "...what."

"Yes."

"You're not going to chew me out?"

"No. It's implied. I'm not wasting my time or yours." Catching Ninten's expression, Giygas raised an eyebrow. "If it makes you feel better, then think of it as leverage for the detention I gave you."

"Why are you acting so..." Ninten gestured at all of him. "Weird? You're acting weird. Like, really weird for someone who's hated me since the start of school-"

"I don't hate you."

"No. Way." Ninten clapped both hands to his face in mock surprise. "That's right. You don't hate me. You hate my guts!"

Giygas frowned. A hint of annoyance finally entered his voice. "You are... mocking me."

"Oh, I'd never," Ninten said sarcastically.

Giygas shifted in place. His fingers tapped against his side in a disturbing, discordant tune. "I... I am not good with feelings," he admitted. "My feelings about you are especially complicated. Because I especially hate you. All of you."

"Gee thanks," Ninten said, recalling all the dress code violations Giygas had assigned him for stupid reasons.

"Yet, I can't hate you, because you are family. That is..." Giygas's eyes flickered to him. "Disturbing."

Ninten snorted.

"Regardless... I wanted to push you beyond your limits." Giygas tapped a finger against his temple. "Don't misunderstand me. I was infuriated at the foolish jokes you cracked during my class. Those were a nuisance."

This time, Ninten couldn't help but give another snort. It wasn't because he was amused by his calculus teacher. Not at all.

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "All the other teachers adored you, so I wanted to be an obstacle. I wanted to be a challenge for you to overcome. Life is full of challenges. If you could endure my constant criticism without losing yourself, then I was sure that you could overcome anything." Giygas gave a bitter smile. "It is a strange way of showing affection, and I apologize if you didn't regard it as such."

Huh. Really now?

Cautiously, Ninten looked up, mustering his courage to search Giygas's face.

Giygas  _looked_  the same. In fact, he looked just about as intimidating as ever. The man's cold eyes fixed themselves onto his face. "...what are you doing?"

"Nothing," Ninten said defensively, dropping his eyes. But this time, he'd caught something else.

No one could ever fake that look.

Giygas was telling the truth. His weird, antisocial uncle was telling the truth, in his weird, antisocial way.

Guilt crushed Ninten like a bug. Great. Here he was, thinking that Giygas was some criminal mastermind, when all along, what he had pegged as "intimidating" and "unapproachable" had merely been a result of the man's social ineptitude.

And inflated ego. Ninten couldn't possibly forget about that inflated ego.

Basically, when it all came down to it... Ninten had made a serious mistake.

But what now? Ninten wasn't comfortable with calling his math teacher,  _uncle._  Not yet, at least. "I guess I was wrong," Ninten admitted, feeling the sting in his pride with a grimace. "I thought that you were the kidnapper."

"Me? I'm flattered."

"It's not supposed to be a compliment!"

"However, it might please you to know that while I have yet to identify the culprit, I believe we can identify their motives," Giygas continued as if Ninten wasn't glaring daggers at him.

"You do?"

Giygas sounded irritated. "Of course I do. I know most everything."

Ninten snorted. Of course, uncle or not, Giygas was an egotistical jerk, and that wasn't bound to change.

So much for a normal dinner party. Ninten learned a lot more the past hour than everything he learned in school combined.

Shaking out his cell, Giygas scrawled down an exotic piece of text that Ninten couldn't decipher on screen. "Bear with me for a brief history lesson of our ancestors. According to ancient legend, every odd turn of the century or so, there existed a person blessed with an incredibly powerful PSI. Only this special person could use the fabled move,  _PK Love."_  Giygas tapped the screen to enlarge a quote. " _He with the power of true selflessness can instill life in death, peace in violence, and unity in separation._ A rather crude and exaggerated translation, I'm afraid."

"I think George told me a similar bedtime story when I was younger..." Ninten said slowly. "He said that PK Love was one of the strongest signature PSI moves in the world-"

"Ah, but from what I gathered from more reliable sources, PK Love isn't any mere offensive move. It is a psychic power that is almost unmatched by any other. Its strength is dependent on  _both_  the brain and heart. Thus, the bearer has a PSI core  _TWICE_  the size of any normal psychic."

Ninten flashed back to the loud buzzing that he'd occasionally caught in school for the past few days. If the humming of  _that_  magic could drone out the others this easily, then whoever it was held an enormous amount of energy in their arsenal. It was a scary thought. "You're joking. One person can't be that powerful."

Giygas's lips twisted into a curt smile. "There is a drawback. Unlike other PSI abilities, PK Love is arguably one of the most difficult to master, because of its incredible sensitivity to the user's emotional state. As unusual as it sounds, the history behind its name makes sense. Love is the strongest motivational force in the world. Love of family, love of self, love of a cause... this deep desire is what allows the PK Love user to outstrip others in raw PSI."

Ninten shook his head in disbelief. "So you think our culprit is looking for someone who can use PK Love?"

"Correct."

"And you think that's why he's been kidnapping students from the school-"

"Or she," Giygas interrupted. "But yes, that is my guess. The culprit's kidnapping students who show any sign of PSI, hoping that one of them can use PK Love. If it's any consolation, I surmise that so far, none of the kidnapped students were able to use PK Love, and are most likely held in captivity as a safeguard. The culprit wouldn't kill them now. It would only draw undesired attention, and while not PK Love, they could use the children's psychic powers for other means."

"Why high school students though?" Ninten blurted out in fear. "Do you think it's because we're easier to pick off?"

"Easier to pick off? I hope not. How much do you know about inheriting PSI?"

Ninten shook his head.

The corners of Giygas's lips lifted up into a sneer. "Of course. I didn't expect you to know anything."

This resulted in giving Giygas another well-deserved scowl. Ninten was going to have to ration those. At any rate, he was sure to run out of his supply of scowls by the end of the day.

Giygas tapped his fingers in an erratic rhythm. One, two, three, four. "PSI is inherited. Say that your father is a psychic. Then in theory, you have a good chance of becoming a psychic as well. The million dollar question is whether or not you are able to Awaken your powers on your own. In that regard, most everyone has some sort of magic dwelling inside them." Giygas's eyes shifted to the side. "I'm an odd case. As far as I know, I'm one of the only surviving PSI users in my age group."

"Why?"

"Epidemic," Giygas said, but Ninten couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "And as for the sudden rise of PSI during your generation... it's difficult to say." Giygas gave him a careful look. "Often times, latent PSI is more likely to be awakened in the presence of other awakened psychics. I imagine that over the years, several of your peers have managed to gain this power through close contact with you."

"I guess that makes sense... in a way," Ninten said, equally cautious. "Then how do we catch the culprit?"

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "It is a dangerous task with a high risk of injury. I will handle it on my own. In the meantime, you will focus on your studies-"

"What, and leave a serial kidnapper on the loose?" Ninten exclaimed. "No way. This is  _way_  more interesting than anything in school-"

"No."

"We can be a team. My powers aren't  _that_  rusty-"

"No."

"Maybe I could-"

"No."

Ninten looked up stubbornly. "I want to help."

Giygas threw him a nasty look. "Foolish child, I don't  _need_  help."

As if on cue, George's voice hollered up the stairs. "Is everything all right up there?"

Bristling like an angry wildcat, Giygas whirled around. "In a minute," he snapped back before cracking open the bathroom door and giving Ninten a jerky nod in its direction. "Go. Let us return to the table before your great grandfather hounds after me with a pitchfork."

Ninten stubbornly poked him in the arm. "But you owe me answers. _"_

"Stop poking me."

"Poke."

"Why do you not listen?"

"Because you're an egotistical person who loves to abuse their position of power, and I'm a teenage rebel who hates overbearing adult authority," Ninten quipped smartly.

At Ninten's deadpan words, Giygas frowned. A strange look flickered across his face. "You're insane. Know when to bide your time, and don't prod the sleeping dragon in the eye. I would hate for great peril to befall you due to some childish foolishness on your part."

"Foolishness on  _my_  part?" Ninten couldn't help but snort. "Says the treasure hunter with an underground lab. I think you should be telling yourself your own advice,  _Uncle_."

Giygas lurched to a sudden halt. Ninten nearly plowed right into his back.

"Giygas...?"

"You are stranger still, growing up." Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "Had she been alive... I wonder what she must have thought of you."

Ninten only stared back at him in confusion. "Who?"

"Maria."

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~oO0Oo~

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The voice wasn't happy.

The dreaded confirmation rasped through the headphones.  _"_ _Ness's life is still on the line."_

Pokey scrabbled at the keyboard in shock. "B-But this afternoon... the Halloween dance! I lured two of them into your ambush-"

_"Neither of the subjects can perform PK Love."_

"Well, that's not my problem, is it," Pokey snapped, jamming a finger against the screen. "I've done my part.  _You_  do something about it if you're so unhappy with the results-"

_"Did you forget that I have your little brother in my hands?"_

Pokey swore, slamming his palms against his computer. "You can't use him against me forever-" he managed to grit out.

 _"Understand that this is for temporary safekeeping. If you cooperate, I'll return your brother home. You have two more days."_  Something about that hungry glower forced Pokey to cower against his seat. " _So make the best of it."_

"Wait, I found someone else!" Pokey blubbered out before the screen fizzled out. "I still know someone else with PSI! A... A psychic!"

"... _I'm listening._ "

Despite his desperation, Pokey clenched his hands in sadistic glee. He could easily imagine the object of his answer, the hated boy in his eyes. The stupid red hair. The infuriating smirk. The absolutely sickening-sweet way he hovered over his younger twin. God, that last one was enough to make anyone throw up in disgust.

"This is for real. Pure and honest truth. I saw him magicking spells into the air-"

_"Tell me their name."_

"He set off the fire alarm-"

**_"WHo iS tHis stUdEnT?"_ **

Pokey smiled. "His name is Claus."


	11. Resolve

It was a somber morning.

Until the press determined otherwise, Ana and Poo were declared missing. Though in Ninten's point of view, everyone in school was acting like they were dead.

In a manner befitting of a stone statue, Miss Marshmallow took watch like a hawk as they quietly picked apart their newest passage on 16th century English theatre. Unlike most days, she didn't have to speak up once to tell Fuel not to bother Angie, to tell Ninten not to talk to Claus, or to tell Tony not to wear his hat.

Because two empty seats in the front row held everyone's attention that morning.

Shoulders deflating, Ninten lowered his head back down into his loose-leaf paper.

And so, save for the scratching of pencils on paper, homeroom class passed in eerie silence.

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Eleven**_ ~

_**Resolve** _

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* * *

As per dress code on this occasion, the students wore black for mourning. Black polo shirts, black shorts, black dresses, black skirts. Standard goth kid attire. Everywhere Ninten looked, several crowds of girls, most members of Poo's fan club, cried and sobbed loudly on each other's shoulders in distraught distress. Other students, while devoid of tears, looked shell-shocked over the sudden revelation. Eyes flitted around from faces to doors, as if their owners were ready to make a beeline for the exit the minute another emergency was called. From what Ninten could tell, two foolhardy students had already been arrested and bailed out on account of pulling the fire-alarm as a prank.

Ninten was all about fun, and definitely all about pranks, but this was no prank. Someone was out there waiting to hurt and kidnap students.

The danger was real.

And it could happen again at any time.

So when the recess bell rang, Ninten grabbed his belongings and strode outside into the sun. Through the sea of emo black, he managed to catch sight of a familiar face. Ness too was clad in a black shirt and black shorts for the occasion today.

"Talk about morbid," Ness muttered, glancing at yet another gaggle of Poo's fangirls who had broken down dramatically in front of the courtyard. "This was worse than the time Lucas got run over."

"I mean, it kinda is. Two students went missing at the dance. And in broad daylight. And under everyone's nose." The crying was starting to grate on his nerves. God, Ninten could never stand people crying. But slowly, the crying reminded him of Ana, and of the last time Ninten saw her-

"Hey, do me a favor, follow me." Grabbing Ness by the arm before he could respond, Ninten dragged him further down the courtyard into the grass. In seconds, the two found themselves by the left wing of the courtyard. No one ever ventured this way.

A wise decision.

"...I don't understand, Ness," Ninten said, rubbing his eyes. He reopened the crumpled paper. Disjointed words and letters floated around in front of his eyes. "I'm telling you, this makes no sense at all."

Ness leaned over. "Here, let me take a look."

Ninten shifted over the document they'd filched from Giygas's desk. Oddly enough, as he slid it into Ness's waiting hands, Ninten couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for stealing his uncle's stuff.

_Not the time,_  he grimly told himself, squashing down the feeling.

They read the cryptic note together:

_** Week of October 31st ** _

_Command Input: 16111215225_

_For[161515, 1141;_

_10, 16:00]_

_Command Input:_ _16111215225_

_For[1461919;_

_108, 14:30]_

"Huh. I think it looks like a programming code of some sort," Ness said, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"...Of course!" Ninten greedily snatched the paper back. "What's it say?"

Ness frowned. "The language matches nothing like I've ever seen before-" he said slowly.

_Crap._

"-and Claus takes computer science, not me, remember?"

_Double crap._

"Right," Ninten said, heart sinking like a stone. "I can't believe it. The  _one_  time we have a computer code to crack, we can't consult our local robotics genius." He raised an eyebrow hopefully at Ness. "Well, we  _could_  ask him-"

"No," Ness said flatly. "I'm not bringing Lucas and Claus into this. We're on our own."

"But it's just one code-"

"Ninten, what if it's not just one code? What if it becomes a lot more than that? What if Lucas and Claus start asking questions?" When Ninten attempted to protest, Ness cut him off with a strangled voice. "Ninten, don't you get it? They might get into some serious danger because of us. Poo, Paula, and Ana were targeted. Paula knew magic for sure, which means that both Poo and Ana must have been psychic too. Either that, or they knew too much. We can't lose anyone else. We just can't."

Ninten forced a laugh. "Well, maybe there's a way we could ask Claus without him knowing-"

"We don't have time for waiting. If the other side finds the PK Love psychic first...!"

"Okay, I get it, Ness. So that plan's shot." When a student burst out of a nearby classroom, chatting with her worried friend towards the auditorium, the passing girls forced Ninten to switch to telepathy.  _We have two days until the blackmail deadline. You're next, Ness._

The threat of imminent danger only seemed to spur on Ness's determination. "We can do it. I know we can. Two days is still a lot of time."

Ninten stifled a smile. Few things in the world could stop a determined Ness.

Heaving a sigh, Ness paced around in a circle. "Then let's recap. We know that our guy set off the fire alarm. Do we have any other leads?"

"Nada. I've tried searching for a match to the PSI signature you caught in your memories-"

"And?"

"Your signal's distorted."

Ness frowned. "Distorted? Was the memory quality bad?"

"Not exactly." Ninten closed his eyes with a grimace. "The signal you felt that day... I keep sensing it in two places at once."

"That makes no sense."

"I know it doesn't! There's only  _one_  person with PK Love, not  _two._ " Ninten rubbed his eyes. This PSI tracking was taking its serious toll on his energy. "I mean, everyone knows that every psychic has a different core-"

"A core?" Ness said, confused. "Like, apple core?"

"Well, yeah. The core. PSI core. You know, where you regenerate your powers from? That humming thing in your mind?"

Ness got a sudden image of a robotic head filled with nuts and bolts. "Uh..."

To Ness's chagrin, Ninten snorted. Ness flushed - Ninten must have received his telepathic image. "Nevermind. Just know that you regenerate your powers from your  _core_. And everyone has a different core. Kind of like a fingerprint. You can tell different psychics apart by their cores... their powers. Their psychic signature. So when I say that I'm tracking our psychic down, that's what I'm searching for." Ninten suddenly snickered. "Wait so, when  _you_  said you were trying to track our psychic down... Were you trying to read everyone's mind? _"_

Sheepishly, Ness scratched at the back of his neck. "Well, I did at first, but then I stopped. Kinda felt bad for invading people's privacy," he admitted.

"You don't have to read everyone's mind to track them down! That'd take forever, dummy. And psychics can tell whenever someone's touching their minds. Way to tip us off." Ninten slapped his own face. "God, you're hopeless. You don't know anything about PSI, do you?"

Embarrassed, Ness tried to change the topic. "Well, there's got to be a reason why you're detecting the same core in two places. Maybe someone accidentally cut their own PSI core in half-"

Ninten scoffed. "You can't destroy a PSI core. It takes a lot of energy to-"

"No, I meant  _cut,_  not  _destroy-"_

"You can't  _cut_  or  _destroy_  a PSI core. It's tied to your life force-"

"I'm giving you ideas, okay? I don't really know." Ness said, exasperated by Ninten's condescending tone. "Fine, just focus then. Hone in on both trails before Giygas does."

Surprisingly, that wiped the irritation from the Ninten's face. Uncomfortable, Ninten fidgeted in place. "Well, about that."

"Yeah...?" Ness said slowly, not liking where this conversation was heading.

"I think we were wrong about Giygas. I'm 99.9% sure that we've framed the wrong person."

_...I don't catch your drift,_  Ness finally stated, his eyes burning like fire. _Explain._

Ninten averted his eyes.  _Maybe we've been looking in the wrong place. There are a lot of suspects other than Giygas. We should set our sights on someone else for once. Turn over a fresh leaf and-_

_Giygas sealed his desk with PSI,_ Ness said flatly.  _Innocent people don't seal random bits of code inside desk drawers with PSI._

_Well, maybe he doesn't want people to judge him for liking robotics!_ Ninten snapped.

Ness halted, then narrowed his eyes.  _Ninten, if Giygas can program robots, that's a pretty clear sign that he's behind this._  When Ninten didn't respond, Ness pressed him further in concern. _What happened to you yesterday? You weren't all defensive over Giygas back at the Halloween Dance-_

_I told you. I had a family dinner. End of story._

_You're not telling me something-_

"You've got to be kidding me, Lucas!"

Both Ninten and Ness whirled around in surprise at the familiar outburst.

Nearby, Claus and Lucas had been conversing in harried tones. Both twins looked upset over something, and Claus had thrown up his arms up in disbelief. Lucas was trying to calm him down.

"I'm not saying that I  _trust_  him," Lucas said patiently. "But I'm saying that he might need help-"

"Who needs help?" Ness asked curiously.

The twins jumped. Apparently, they hadn't realized that they had an audience.

Claus caved in with a scowl. "Pokey, that's who," he spat, jabbing a thumb at his brother. "I don't know why, but Lucas thinks that Pokey's in some sort of trouble-"

"I'm not saying that he is. I'm saying that he  _might_  be-"

"Lucas, he literally barreled over and pinned you to the bathroom stall _five seconds ago_. I don't know what sob story he sold you, but considering you were about to be pummeled to death, I assure you that he's doing fine."

"Oh man, not again." Ninten's face had turned a pallid shade of white. "Okay, Lucas, as much as Pokey's not an... ah, screw it. Who are we kidding? Pokey's a douche. I'm with Claus on this one-"

Lucas looked uncomfortable. "I know it's hard to believe, but when he was talking to me-"

"-more like  _shoved you against a wall_ _and tried to punch your face in_ ," Claus interrupted unsympathetically.

"He sounded like he was under a lot of pressure," Lucas finished, ignoring his brother's snide comment.

"He didn't sound like he was under a lot of pressure," Claus said stubbornly. He thought back to the slow, vengeful smirk Pokey had specifically thrown at him.  _I know more than you think,_ his small piggy eyes had seemed to say. Whatever the reason, the malicious grin had chilled Claus to the bone.

Lucas furrowed his brows. "Claus."

"Don't give me that look, Lucas. I'm just saying the truth."

Ness stayed unusually silent. He carried the look of someone who had more than just an inkling about Pokey's unpleasant family life.

"It's because of his stupid grudge against me," Ness said finally.

Lucas snapped his head up.

Ness didn't meet his eyes. "But about what you're talking about, Lucas... It's... it's not something we can ask him. Not now. I've tried before, believe me."

Lucas's tone softened. He just sounded glad that someone had at least listened to him. "I'll take your word for it. Don't stress, Ness."

"Pokey's still set on bullying you," Ness stubbornly reminded him with a frown.

"That's my problem. I can handle this much." Despite himself, Lucas cracked a genuine smile. "Hey, I survived death once, right? Pokey can't bother me anymore."

Ness closed his mouth, not knowing what to say. But deciding to take on the playful route, Ness reached up to affectionately ruffle Lucas's hair, and Lucas ducked underneath the hand with a whine of protest. "Oh, not you too-"

"Deal with it." With an earsplitting grin, Ness grabbed a complaining Lucas and whirled him around. "Stay put, Imma mess up your hair-"

"Ahh, no-!"

As the two playfully romped around, Ninten's indignant reaction faded at the sound of their infectious laughter. Shaking his head, Ninten watched their exchange with amused eyes. "They never argue with each other. Isn't that great?"

Claus's expression turned sour. He didn't seem to think that it was great at all.

With a knowing grin, Ninten elbowed him in the ribs. "Watch your back, Claus. I think someone might be out to steal your place as Big Brother," he joked.

Overhead, the school speakers turned on, noisily calling all students to report to the gym for a special announcement.

Emitting a grunt, Claus yanked his younger brother back by the shirt. "If you lovebirds are done goofing off, we have to go to the gym."

Ness's good humor didn't seem to be affected at all by Claus's sarcastic remark. "Right-o, Claus. To the gym we go!" Seizing his best friend by the arm, Ness ran away, clumsily bumping into the people and dragging a laughing Lucas into the crowd.

There was an awkward silence.

"...What?" Claus said sullenly at Ninten's  _trying-not-to-laugh-but-awfully-failing-to_  face.

Ninten poked him in the shoulder. "Someone's  _jealous,_ " he sang.

"Oh, shut up," Claus snapped, trudging after his two friends.

Snorting in amusement, Ninten followed him into the gym.

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~oO0Oo~

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.

As with what usually happened after another tragedy, the school instructed all teachers to gather their students into the auditorium. Candles were lit to mourn the loss of two missing students. Parents wept. Brief words were spoken in their name:  _Ana, whose selfless devotion to Key Club in helping the homeless and unfortunate_  and  _Poo, whose polite mannerisms and respect as a transfer student from Dalaam_  would be remembered. News reporters flocked over, blinding students with obnoxious camera flashes and asking all sorts of intrusive questions.

Harassed by the press and standing among his fellow staff on stage, the principal - a cranky old man named Mister Pusher - straightened his tie as if appalled by the accusations flung his way.

**"The damaged area has been looped off. We've relocated the affected classrooms to the Trailer Homes granted by government funding..."**

**"...The police are searching for the suspect. They believe that the arsonist is in possession of a firearm. Students, be vigilant-"**

**"-We'll keep your children safe."**

The backlash was incredible. Parents reared their heads and cried  _how could you let this happen_  and  _how could you let someone so dangerous into the school_  and  _the children, think of the children...!_

The empty promises the principal bestowed. The hollow words that resonated in everyone's ears.

**Everything is under control** , the principal bleated.

But Claus was too clever to let those words lull him into a false sense of security. Claus knew it was a lie, knew it from the moment he laid his eyes on the stage. Nurse Tessie's face looked pale and harried, her smile too weak and none-too-encouraging. Giygas lowered his head in what was meant to be a sign of respect, his expression unreadable. Miss Marshmallow pursed her lips so tightly that the line was almost permanently etched onto her face. Mr. Strong, who had miraculously been re-offered a position back onto the school grounds, nodded too much along with the principal's words, insincerity in his eyes and an unconvincing smile dancing on his lips. Other teachers murmured with each other in growing uncertainty, mirroring the fear of their pupils on their very faces.

The principal only cared about maintaining his public image.

No one believed him.

None of the students felt safe.

"He said this too after you... you know," Ness muttered under his breath to an unusually subdued Lucas, but Claus didn't hear those words. All that mattered was Lucas, Lucas's hand in his, Lucas breathing and alive and safe from harm.

Lucas meant the world to him. Lucas was all he had.

_Trust each other,_  his mother had said.

Dream or not, Claus was determined to keep that promise.

So when Lucas reached for his hand, unsure and confused and afraid, Claus squeezed his hand back.

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~oO0Oo~

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.

With that gloomy reminder, Giygas drove his line of despondent students back to class in the same manner of a shepherd herding his sheep to the slaughterhouse. As soon as Giygas flipped the heavy math textbook open, the din of chatter immediately ceased. Dropping the  _Calculus_  textbook onto his podium, Giygas surveyed the deathly silent room.

Ninten couldn't help but roll his eyes. Could this man be any more dramatic?

"Before we begin lecture with a simple problem-" The entire class groaned. Giygas's problems were anything  _but_  simple. "Quiet," Giygas snapped. He was in a sour mood. "I am under mandatory advisement by the office to tell you not to wander off alone. Apparently, the principal believes that you're too foolish to handle yourselves, and will be adding additional security measures to the school. At this time, I'd like to remind you that no one's allowed out of class without a hall pass. The front gates will now be locked from morning until dismissal. Yet, if you insist on disappearing with these precautions in place, we'll shut down this site for private investigation."

Despite the situation, Ninten had to hold back a snort.  _Too foolish_ _? Insist on disappearing?_  Giygas was in a good mood today. Ninten stole a quick glimpse at his friends' reactions. Across the side of the classroom, Lucas warily sat leaning away from the Calculus teacher as if Giygas was a contagious disease. On the other hand, Claus wasn't even paying attention. He looked bored to the point of tears.

In his own mind, Ninten could feel Ness's frustration simmering at the thought of more rules to follow.

The excited chatter rose in volume.

"Enough," Giygas cut off almost lazily, like he'd done so a thousand times. He must've finally regained his composure, because Ninten noted how idle Giygas's fingers looked, no longer tapping against the desk. "That doesn't mean you will be exempt from homework. In case of an emergency, we'll relocate class to spare rooms in Twinkle Elementary. Homework and exams will resume as scheduled. If you have any questions, speak up now or forever hold your peace."

Giygas dared them to ask with his stoic expression.

Everyone was too scared to even make a peep.

"Good." Giygas flicked his textbook open before facing the blackboard. "I will do a sample problem on the board. Turn to page 489, Question 3, in the Chapter 5 Review. Water fills a tank at a rate of-"

_Claus._

The older twin jerked up in surprise before recognizing his brother's voice.  _Say w_ _hat?_

_Can I borrow your calculator?_  Claus felt a ripple of embarrassment. _I can't solve Question 4 without it..._

Claus understood without asking. Giygas inscribed their daily homework on the blackboard. Lucas, as his stubbornly studious streak implied, would always take a crack at it during class.

In short, his younger twin was a nerd.

Rolling his eyes, Claus handed over his calculator.  _You know, I don't get why you start your homework in class. There's a reason it's called "homework," Lucas._

_You're just too lazy to lift up your own pencil._ Lucas's half-attentive response came, along with the random feed of numbers blurring through his mind from whatever the hell question 4 was.  _It doesn't take much time-_

_I know._ Claus smirked, leaning against his chair.  _That's why I procrastinate. Why start something in class when I can do it at home?_

_Not everyone is lucky to have your intuition for math and physics, Claus._

Claus's smirk widened.  _Now you're making excuses. Who got that perfect score on our last exam?_

_But I did worse than you on the first one,_ Lucas pointed out.  _So you have the better average. I don't want to fall behind-_

_I don't think a 95% is considered "falling behind," Lucas._

_...Giygas!_ Lucas's warning rang in his head.

"-think we'll call on you, Claus," Giygas said.

It wasn't an unusual routine. Giygas picked on students to share the answers to the corresponding questions. If the answer was correct, Giygas would move onto the next problem, leaving his relieved victim alone. If the answer was incorrect... the poor soul should expect additional homework and a devastating blow to their ego.

To no one's surprise, Ninten was often the "poor soul." While he was at best a passable student, Ninten loathed Calculus and struggled to grasp its concepts. This fact coupled along with Giygas's personal grudge made the poor boy an easy target. Fortunately, Ninten was never one to shrink back from a mistake, and took it all into cheerful stride.

On a usual day, Claus would have finished the sample question in a heartbeat.

That day, unfortunately, was not today.

_Oh fuck. Lucas, help me-_

_Forty-two,_ Lucas whispered in his head.

"Forty-two," Claus said out loud, mentally thanking Lucas, who in turn, sounded guilty for distracting him.

Giygas shot Claus a sharp look. "Where is your work, you foolish child?" he snapped, slapping his notebook on the podium and causing several gasps to erupt from the classroom.

Claus faltered, feeling Lucas's alarm prickle his mind.

Since when had Giygas ever asked for work?

But Claus quickly composed himself. "I didn't write my work down, but I can explain how I got my answer." Without skipping a beat, he explained the entire problem with ease, taking care to note all the miscellaneous information Giygas snuck in. As he spoke, Claus felt the class's general respect for him rise; it was universally difficult to keep composure in the face of Giygas's intimidating scowl.

"-and calculating the variables, you end up with 42 m/s," Claus concluded.

Giygas appraised him with raised eyebrows. "And you are certain of your answer?"

"Yes."

"Correct," Giygas said. No one could decipher his expression, even if they had a dictionary, but the knot in Claus's stomach relaxed. Claus had thankfully passed the test of the day.

Or so he had thought.

"However-" Giygas suddenly started, and Claus tensed up again. "This question is impossible without the aid of a calculator, and since you have no calculator on your desk..." Giygas's eyes turned as cold as arctic snow. "You cheated."

Appalled by the accusation, Claus sat up. "I didn't  _cheat-"_

Suddenly, Lucas raised his hand.

_Lucas, put your hand back down!_ Claus shouted furiously, but his younger brother made no motion to put it down.

In the corner of his eyes, Claus caught several students whispering around in fear. Ninten snapped a confused look in his direction.  _What the heck is going on, Claus?_  he mouthed.

Irritated by the disturbance in class, Giygas resumed tapping his fingers against the podium. One, two, three, four. "Lucas, do you have something to say?"

"Claus didn't cheat," Lucas said, firmly meeting his gaze. "I borrowed his calculator."

Giygas's dark eyes flickered back to Claus's face. Dropping his head, Claus tried hard not to wither under Giygas's gaze. "Is that so?"

Claus nodded.

Lucas now bore the full brunt of his Giygas's stare. "Why was his calculator on your desk?"

"I was working on your homework problems-"

"We are working on question three."

"I already finished question three, sir," Lucas said quietly. "I finish all the problems you assign in class-"

Giygas raised a hand, cutting him off. "Stop. I've heard enough." Giygas didn't even look remotely pleased. "You are a student. Why were you not paying attention in class?"

Lucas was petrified in fear. "I... I was-"

"Are you arrogant enough to presume that you don't have to listen to my lecture like everyone else?"

"No! I meant-"

"Not paying attention... no wonder you were hit by a passing truck."

All the blood drained out of Lucas's face. The poor boy looked absolutely mortified, as if he wanted to sink into his chair and dissolve into nothing.

Unable to stand it any longer, Claus suddenly leaped to his feet. "You leave him alone," he spat out angrily. "Lucas always did your homework in class, and you never had a problem with it before!"

By this point, the entire class was now watching the exchange like terrified witnesses to a LIVE show. It wasn't unusual for Giygas to pressure a student, but in an unspoken consensus, no one dared to speak up against the teacher.

Things weren't going to end well.

"Detention, you foolish child!" Giygas snapped, smacking his wad of lecture notes against Claus's desk. It rang with a sharp echo. Flinching, Lucas threw Claus a frightened look. "It pains me to give my top student such a misdemeanor, but even the best should be expected to follow the rules. I hope detention will teach you to follow  _standard classroom etiquette."_

Ninten raised his hand. "Giygas-"

Giygas pinched the bridge of his nose. "What now, Ninten?"

"Give them another chance, please? They've never disrupted class before-"

"Sit down. Favoritism has no place in the classroom." Without a backwards glance, Giygas swept back to the podium. "Now, if you please, direct your attention to the diagram and write as follows..."

.

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~oO0Oo~

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As soon as Calculus ended, Lucas swiftly packed up his bag and darted out of the room, hiding his face in a hurry. Claus, Ness, and Ninten all exchanged worried glances, but none of them had Art with him next class: Claus was headed to Computer Science, Ninten to Standard Freshman Writing, and Ness to History.

Throughout the entire lecture, Claus was impatiently tapping his fingers against the desk, already bored with the basic C++ terminology the teacher was reviewing. Worry for his brother tugged on his heartstrings, and automatically, he tried reaching out to Lucas's mind.

But to his sheer frustration, Claus found nothing but emptiness. The art gallery was located on the opposite wing of the computer labs.

Lucas was out of telepathic range.

Drawing that conclusion, Claus reluctantly ceased all attempts of contact, and fixed his gaze on the wall clock. The hour hand couldn't move fast enough, and when the last second painfully ticked to a halt, signaling the start of lunch, Claus wasted no time to tear across the hall. Lucas was in an incredibly vulnerable state of mind right now; there was no knowing what Pokey would do if he bumped into his twin brother again.

Fortunately, Claus caught hold of his brother's mental signature in the men's rooms, and to his immense relief, Pokey was not there.

Unfortunately though...

"Lucas, get out of the bathroom stall."

"No."

His younger brother had retreated back into his quiet shell and refused to come out. Claus had been afraid of this.

The older brother sighed, then rapped the bathroom stall door again. "Lucas, come out. Lunch period won't last forever."

"You go on without me, Claus. I'm not very hungry," his muffled voice came. It was so quiet that Claus could barely hear it through the door. "Besides, I'll only cause you more trouble."

Claus leaned his head against the wall in frustration. This had been the first time Lucas had been called out in disapproval by a teacher, and it had given the blond a nasty shock.

Claus scowled at the obtrusive block of wood in his face.  _Lucas, now you're just being childish._

_I can't believe I forgot my calculator to class,_  Lucas muttered.  _I must have left it on the bedside cabinet last night. I'm such a dunce._

_It's only human to err,_ Claus pointed out.  _Compared to my track record of mistakes, you forgetting your calculator is **nothing.**  Look... I know I shouldn't have spoken up in class, but Giygas was plain bullying you over the accident. That was totally uncalled for-_

_He's right. Maybe I should've died and saved you the trouble-_

_LUCAS!_ Claus felt his brother wince at his loud mental bellow.  _Don't you EVER say something like that!_

_Okay, sorry. I didn't mean it._ Guilt flowed from Lucas's mind.  _But I got you into trouble..._

Claus rolled his eyes. _Lucas, for the last time, it's just detention. One detention isn't going to hurt anyone._

_But you've never had detention before..._

_Well, there's always a first time for everything._ Claus smirked.  _Now get out of the stall before someone thinks I'm a perv for standing here._

He felt his younger brother hesitate, but as Claus had expected, Lucas reluctantly unlocked the stall and walked out with averted eyes. "I'm sorry-"

Claus wrestled him into a headlock, and Lucas yelped in shock.

"You, sir, are the most idiotic person I have ever known," Claus claimed, quirking an eyebrow. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Claaaus," Lucas whined, wrenching himself free. "I can take care of myself-"

Smirking a little too widely than was healthy, Claus ruffled his hair again. "Oh, don't be silly, little brother. That's what I'm here for." He pushed his little brother into the direction of the cafeteria. "Come on, the guys are waiting."

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~oO0Oo~

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.

It didn't take long for the twins to spot their friends at an empty table.

Ninten and Ness seemed to be locked in an intense stare-down. The former kept averting his eyes to the table when Ness tried to meet his eyes in increasing frustration. At Claus's approach, however, they jerked out of their respective postures.

"Finally." Ness broke into a grin. Moody, Ninten returned to picking at his soggy Cafeteria food. "What took you guys so long?"

Lucas flushed in embarrassment and stared at his shoes, but Claus only rolled his eyes. "I left my stupid Comp Sci book in my locker," he responded, elbowing his twin in the side. "And Lucas was busy beating himself up again."

Lucas shyly ducked his head, and Ness laughed. "Don't worry, Lucas. Giygas was pretty mean to everyone today." He let out a low whistle. "I wonder why he's never been fired before..."

"No one's failed Calculus since he's started teaching," Ninten mumbled.

"I guess..." Claus sighed. Ness carefully eyed Ninten for a response, but the latter said nothing else. "I can't believe he gave me detention though," Claus muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Talk about furious, he went completely off his rocker."

"Well, you'd be pretty pissed too if your job was on the line," Ninten snapped.

All three boys stared at him.

"Uh... what." Claus's eyes had flickered over to Ness, who had also quirked an eyebrow in surprise. "I think I heard you wrong. Ninten, did you just  _defend_  Giygas?"

"No."

Claus squinted down at him. "Then what was all that?"

"All what?"

Claus scowled. "Stop acting stupid!"

"Did something happen, Ninten?" Lucas asked, studying him in concern. "Did Giygas bully you too?"

Ninten wanted to laugh.  _If only that was the case..._

Something inquisitively poked his mind, and Ninten shoved the perpetrator out.  _Ness, sod off!_ he snapped. Great, as if things couldn't get worse, that annoying-as-hell buzzing filled his head for the fiftieth time this week-

Ness warily raised his hands up in surrender.  _C_ _hill._   _I_ _swear, I wasn't going to read your mind without your permission-_

_Like I'd believe you,_ Ninten snapped.

"...You two are up to something," Claus broke in bluntly. He narrowed his eyes at his two friends. "I've been suspecting it for a while, ever since baseball practice last Friday."

Ness snorted. "Claus, that's a funny thought-"

"The only thing that's funny is that I'm being completely serious," Claus deadpanned.

"Both of you've been avoiding us for the past few days," Lucas added curiously, and Ness blanched. Lucas rarely pointed things out, so their secretive behavior must not have been too secret after all. Lucas looked rather anxious. "Did we do something wrong?"

"No." Ness's throat felt dry. He mentally poked again Ninten for assistance, but Ninten wasn't responding to him, and with two highly suspicious twins on his tail, Ness desperately tried cooking up another excuse.

It was a risky trade. For all Ness knew, the twins could already be on the hitlist by association.

But supposing that it was about time that he let the cat out of the bag, Ness opened his mouth to speak-

"I had a family reunion yesterday," Ninten muttered, lowering his plastic spork.

Claus raised an eyebrow. "And...?"

"Giygas is my uncle."

The effect was instantaneous. A boggle-eyed Ness spewed out his apple juice in a spectacular arc over the table that would have made a dolphin proud. Claus's own eyes widened in shock before the sandwich he had been holding slipped from his fingers and landed with a comical splat onto the floor. Lucas flinched, knocking over his water canister - which gurgled its contents out over the tiles - then dived under the bench to retrieve it from the ground.

"He's WHAT?!" Ness gasped, eyes watering in a coughing fit.

Claus snorted. "Yeah, and Lucas is my twin sister."

Ninten wearily lifted his head. "Giygas is really my uncle, guys. No joke."

With a growing frown, Claus leaned over. "No joke?"

"Yeah." Ninten lowered his eyes onto the mushy goop on his Cafeteria plate. "No joke."

Lucas's amused voice shattered his train of thought. "Well, you two don't look very alike."

Snapping his head up at the unexpected response, Ninten stared at him in disbelief. "Lucas. My uncle is  _the most_ _horrifying creature on Earth, second only to Satan._  Doesn't that disturb you?"

"I admit that it's a little weird," Lucas said, casually handing over Claus half of his own sandwich. "But that doesn't change anything, does it? You're still you, whether or not Giygas is your uncle."

Ninten was taken aback. Most people assumed that Lucas was shy of speaking, and for a good reason. The younger twin rarely spoke up, if at all, during class. But as obvious as it sounded, something about Lucas's comment warmed his heart. Ninten felt a small smile grow on his face. Count on Lucas to say the right thing at the right time.

Sticking a finger in his mouth, Claus gagged. "Oh god. The  _cheese._  I think I'm going to be sick-"

Lucas colored up. "It's true."

"Cheesy." Claus ruffled his brother's hair. Lucas grimaced, ducking his head in protest, and Claus threw Ninten a look. "Yeah, cool, Giygas is your uncle. Whatever. Next time you start a cheesefest, just sign me the fuck out."

Ninten rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Claus."

"With the way you were acting, I thought that somebody  _died,"_  Ness rebuked, slapping Ninten on the back. "Lighten up, 'Ten. Like what Lucas says, we don't think any less of you because Giygas is your uncle."

Oh man. Now Ninten wanted to cry with relief and shower everyone with hugs at the same time.

Suddenly, Claus leaned over with a terrifying smirk. "Now that you say it, the family resemblance in your hair is striking-"

"Giygas is bald!" Ninten snapped.

"Exactly. I guess you inherited his receding hairline."

Ninten kicked at Claus from underneath the cafeteria table. Unfortunately, he miscalculated the distance, and instead hit Lucas in the ankle. A surprised yelp of pain erupted into their ears.

"Shit! I'm sorry, Lucas," Ninten quickly apologized, cursing his bad luck.

"It's okay," the poor boy gasped, eyes watering as he nursed his throbbing ankle.

However, Claus did not take kindly to this action. "Ninten...," he whispered. His blue eyes flashed, radiating with a malignant, ominous aura. "You hurt my brother..."

"I swear that it was an accident! I was aiming for you!" Ninten protested.

Ness face-palmed. Ninten had only dug his grave deeper.  _Hoo boy._

_Ness,_  Ninten cried out, flailing pathetically in his mind.  _Save me!_

Ness warily eyed the murderous glint in Claus's eyes.  _Sorry, man._   _You're on your own._

_You coward!_

"Oh, if you think kicking people's shins is justice, then you've got another thing coming _, lawyer boy."_  Claus cracked his knuckles, and Ninten's eyes widened in terror. "Now... let's quit acting like immature fools and handle this like real men."

Ninten narrowed his eyes. "Bring it on," he countered, clenching his teeth.

For a few seconds, they glared at each other in a furious showdown, oblivious to the exasperated look Lucas and Ness shared.

Then-

"Rock, paper, scissors, SHOOT!" they yelled in sync, and Claus balled his hand into a fist.

"HAH! YES! In your  _face_ , carrot top," Ninten crowed, revealing his "paper." Claus retreated to his seat, sulking like a three-year-old, and victorious, Ninten pumped a fist into the air. "Who looks stupid now?"

"Who are you calling stupid, stupid?"

"Your name is stupid."

Claus narrowed his eyes. "Not as stupid as yours."

"When it comes to nicknames, I can run circles around you," Ninten boasted in a sing-song. "Claustrophobia, Santa Claus-"

"Nintendo," Claus coughed.

" _Hella_  better than Santa Claus."

"Don't you dare diss Santa Claus. He's a cool guy who makes thousands of people happy every year-"

"Right, but you're a grumpy grinch."

Claus gave a loud noise of exasperation, then jabbed a finger in his direction. "Keep it up, and you'll go loony like your uncle."

Ness shook his head sadly. "You're not exactly one to speak for yourself."

"Oooh!  _B_ _urn,"_  Ninten laughed. With a scowl, Claus smacked him in the arm, and Ninten punched him back in the shoulder.

"Oreo addict."

"Gingerbread."

"The asylum called. They want their patient back."

Ninten snorted. "Oh, were you  _talking_  to  _me_? I'm sorry, I don't speak idiot."

"Why, you-"

"Anger management called. I think they want you both in for marriage counseling," Lucas smirked, abruptly bringing the debate to an unexpected end. At the expression of incredulous shock on his friends' faces, Ness swore that he had never laughed harder in his life.

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~oO0Oo~

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Flint was very prideful of his sons.

When they turned four, Flint had wanted them to inherit the farm. But Hinawa vehemently refused, stubbornly insisting that they should send the twins to school.

"Our sons are smart, Flint," she had said, crossing her arms with that  _I'm-not-going-to-give-in-that-easily_  look. "Education will do them much good."

They'd ended up arguing for a month over that particular debate, but finally, Flint caved in and allowed the twins to attend the first day of school as a trial test.

Much to Flint's surprise, his sons had bounced back home in excitement, wide eyes sparkling with avid wonder. "We want to go to school tomorrow," they'd eagerly chimed at the same time.

Hinawa had cried from sheer happiness. Finding no reason to object, Flint had agreed.

Flint never regretted the decision. Their house was littered with his sons' numerous achievements: Honor chords and plaques decorated the dinner table. Claus's many robotics trophies were stacked neatly on the mantelpiece of the fireplace, and pictures of Lucas's prominent choir rehearsals hung on the walls. It was somewhat amusing, but at some point, each twin had taken pictures with the President of Eagleland for different reasons. Lucas and forty-nine other boys had been hand-picked across the country to perform in front of an ambassador in eighth grade. One month after that, Claus's robotics team had taken first place in the National Helicopter Design Tournament.

But now, Flint jolted in surprise at the message Claus had brought home.

_**Detention. Meet me after school tomorrow,**  _it read in a neat scrawl of red ink.

Lucas had left to the kitchen as soon as they arrived home, suddenly claiming a desire to brew green tea, but Claus knew that it was a facade. Lucas wanted to give them privacy.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

His father finally broke it with his characteristic rumble. "Explain."

"There's nothing to explain. I got detention," Claus muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Flint said nothing. His silence only seemed to agitate his anxious son.

"I did nothing bad," Claus added defensively.

The farmer placed his head into his hands. "Son..."

His father was not an expressive man, but Claus caught onto the subtle body language and scowled. "Don't tell me that you're disappointed," he snapped, face coloring in embarrassment.

While Claus had his mischievous tendencies, his trouble-making never got out of hand. A scolded word or two was enough to keep the older twin in check, and Claus was clever enough to know when his teachers were about to meet their limits. And even though he'd never admit it, Claus was upset; he absolutely  _loved_  Calculus.

"I can't say that I'm not disappointed, young man."

He clenched his fists. "I didn't do anything. Giygas flat-out gave me detention for something stupid! You should've seen him bullying Lucas in class-"

"Claus, I'm not in the mood to be humored," Flint interrupted, meeting his eyes from underneath the rim of his hat. "Disrupting class is a serious offense."

Claus bolted to his feet. "You have no right to judge me," he accused, pointing a trembling finger at him in rising anger. "You were never there when we needed you!"

"...I know."

"NO, YOU DON'T! DON'T PRETEND THAT YOU KNOW!" Claus exploded, losing all vestige of self-control. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH! You didn't give a fuck when I ran away, and now you think that everything's all handy-dandy after Lucas is back, don't you?!"

Flint stayed silent.

His son's frame shook so madly that he almost seemed to vibrate in place. "I bet you wouldn't have even cared if he died... like  _mom,"_  Claus whispered viciously. "If he died, then you would've-" He swallowed hard, unable to finish the sentence. "You, y-you... just sitting there..."

Claus whirled around, tearing through the kitchen to bolt up the stairs. Watching him leave, Flint said nothing more to stop him. Each muffled thump on the stairs savagely punched his heart, and in seconds, the angry tattoo of footsteps was cut short by a loud  ** _slam_.**

As if on cue, Lucas materialized from the kitchen; in his hands nestled Hinawa's tiny tea tray. Even without asking, the younger sibling seemed to know what had transpired. Cupping a steaming mug of green tea into his father's clasped fingers, Lucas looked up. Warm sympathy that he didn't deserve welled in his son's blue eyes.

"It's okay," Lucas said, quietly pouring two more draughts of tea into separate mugs before rising with one in his hand. "I'll talk to him."

Lucas traipsed upstairs after his brother, careful not to spill any tea from the hot mug. After a series of soft pitter-pattering that hugely contrasted from the previous bout of angry thumping, Flint heard the gentle knock echo down the stairs.

There was a creak as the bedroom door opened.

A soft voice rose in incantation of a question before an angry retort shot it down. Two voices excitedly began to rise, escalating higher in volume and pitch. When they showed no sign of faltering, Flint hesitated, wondering whether or not to intervene, but within a few seconds, the noise had all but died down.

There was a short silence.

Then the quiet air was punctured by the stifled sound of frustrated sobs, soon accompanied by soothing murmurs.

As he covered his eyes with the brim of his hat, Flint had never felt more alone in his entire life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify to all you legit programmers...the code used is not legit. Sorry. So don't even try plugging it into the computer (you'll probably get a lot of error codes lool).
> 
> Treat the programming code as a simple riddle (emphasis on the numbers). If you can figure the code out, it foreshadows an event in Chapter 12.
> 
> Good luck :)


	12. She was like a Sunflower

The cool early morning air blew against his bare back and tickled his exposed skin.

_**Scrape**._

Flint paid no attention to the sweat dripping from his brow, and grunted in exertion as he plowed the rich soil. The soft dirt easily parted beneath him like water before a ship. Farm work was repetitive, intensive beyond mortal limits, but hard work and patience yielded fruitful results.

Dawn was when Flint tended to stew in his thoughts alone. He finished the last row of soil with a sigh, then propped himself against the tool shed to enjoy the glowing sunrise. The sleepy sun peeked over the horizon, lending a sliver of warmth to the the land.

 _"A man must tame his own farm and family,"_ His own father had once told him back in the days, complete with his trademark southern drawl. As the man smoked his wood-carved pipe with gusto, he'd thrown Flint a pointed look. _"A lazy man means a wild farm and wild wife. Never trust a woman, for she will ensnare you with her sly and wily charms."_

 _"Of course, pops,"_  Flint had said indignantly.  _"I'd never let a woman run the farm!"_

His father had only laughed.  _"I know you won't, Flint. Yer a good kid."_

But that was before Flint had met Hinawa.

Hinawa had melted his heart and introduced him to a new life outside of work. Meeting her was as if he'd finally opened his eyes, like a toddler experiencing the beauty of the world for the very first time. Memories of her voice slowly seeped into his thoughts, and Flint could relive each image like a living photograph.

On their honeymoon: "Take a look at the sunrise! Isn't it beautiful, Flint?" she'd turned to him with a beam, and while a part of Flint knew that his own dad would've rebuked him for sacrificing precious time for idleness, he couldn't seem to mind.

After the twins were born: "Flint, go and spend the day with your boys," she'd said disapprovingly, clutching a soup ladle in one hand. "You've spent the entire day working in the fields! What if they can't even recognize you as their own father?"

And then he remembered with a pang: "...I love you, Flint," Hinawa would whisper in that special, soft tone of hers that no angel could compare, head cocked curiously in a shadow of mischief Claus had clearly inherited. She used to tell him every single day...

Until her voice was brutally extinguished by a carelessly passing truck.

Flint stabbed the shovel roughly into the heart of the ground. It had dawned on him that Hinawa had always been the farmer to his field; when the farmer died, the seeds of his progeny that had sprouted under Hinawa's care had been subject to neglect. Flint had failed her. In bitterness and drowning sorrow, he had turned to drinking and left his growing sons to wither.

But to his astonishment, they hadn't. Lucas and Claus somehow coped like the toughest weeds despite crushing hardship. Flint might have done little to support them, but he hadn't been completely blind to his sons' struggles. In rare bouts of sobriety and insomnia, Flint had recognized subtle signs of their close trust: holding hands together, understanding each other without speaking a word, comforting the other when in distress.

Then again, Flint knew that he shouldn't have been surprised. His sons had inherited his own endurance and Hinawa's stubbornness after all.

Suddenly his train of thought was broken by a familiar chirp. "Wait, dad," Lucas called out as he left the house, Claus silently trailing behind him in tow. To Flint's surprise, his youngest son held out a paper bag. "Claus made some extra sandwiches today." When Flint turned his attention to him, Lucas's face fell. "...H-He thought you might have been hungry."

"Lucas helped too," Claus muttered. Looking equally uncomfortable, he avoided Flint's eyes.

His throat clogged up. Unable to speak, Flint gave a nod and took the paper bag. He studied his sons standing in front of him: one shrinking back in meek timidity, the other brimming with sullen resentment.

A grim determination seized him. No matter how hard it was, no matter how the odds were stacked against him, he'd never give up. Not by long shot. Overcome by a sudden bout of emotion, the Flint swept his sons into a rare embrace. He could feel them both stiffening in surprise, but he released them just as abruptly.

"Stay safe," Flint found himself saying.

"I'll try," Lucas said softly. Claus only nodded, but his shoulders noticeably relaxed.

"Promise me," Flint repeated after them with numb lips. He'd lost his wife, and he'd almost lost both his sons over the past few years. He couldn't let that happen, not again.

Both his sons looked surprised, but this time, simultaneously broke out into genuine smiles. "We will," they chimed in sync, before walking away and disappearing from his line of sight.

For a few more minutes, Flint stood alone.

Then his own mouth slowly twitched into a smile. A quiet sense of pride filled him as he hurried over to start weeding the field. There was much work to be done, but everything was going to be resolved, one way or another.

_After all, was it not a father's intuition to care for his sons?_

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Twelve**_ ~

_**She was like a Sunflower** _

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* * *

Lucas blinked in surprise. "Er, Claus... What is this?"

Claus scowled before snatching his sketchbook back. "Stupid frickin art class is what. I have to finish assignment two. You know, draw a portrait of a family member."

"When's yours due?"

"Tomorrow. Are you done with yours?"

Lucas grimaced. "No, I'm only half-way there."

It was amusing to see how their contrasting personalities shone through their art styles. Claus's sketches were practical and down-to-earth. He drew exactly what he saw: neat straight lines and sharp corners dominated the page with an emphasis on logic. Most of the time, his impatience at shading clearly showed through; his work consisted of basic skeletons and bare blueprints of the object in question. Nothing more, nothing less.

On the other hand, Lucas's drawings seemed to evoke some form of human emotion from a viewer. If Claus was defined, then Lucas was abstract. Soft curves and an almost-surreal background lent his work life through careful contrast in lighting and shading. His sketches were nothing but raw expression.

But while art was a nice change from the academic curriculum, neither of them would have taken the course if it wasn't mandatory; Claus was more interested in tinkering in his solar car team, and Lucas preferred to devote his time to choir.

"So where's the portrait?" Lucas said curiously. "I didn't think that looked like one of your solar car blueprints either-"

Claus colored up. "...This was the portrait. It's you. Well, it's  _supposed_  to be you..."

Lucas stared at the drawing of what looked like a very crude blob. "Claus," he said weakly. "I'm sorry, but that looks  _nothing_  like my face-"

Before Claus could retort, Ninten popped up between the two brothers with a mischievous grin. "Hey, hey. What'cha you looking at?"

With a defeated sigh, Claus showed him the sketch. For a good second, Ninten frowned, studying the drawing with a furrowed squint. Then he brightened up, enthusiastically jabbed a finger at the blob. "Is that supposed to be a potato?"

Claus smacked his laughing friend in the head with his sketchbook. "I was half-asleep, okay?" he snapped, crossing his arms in a huff. "Try drawing a portrait in the dark at two in the morning."

"It's due tomorrow. You have plenty of time," Lucas reassured him, but Claus shook his head.

"I have detention with Giygas today, remember? He's going to give me work until hell. On top of that, I'm welding the Solar Car with Lloyd at Jeff's tonight-"

"Detention? With Giygas?" Ninten winced. "Bummer. Heads up, Giygas is definitely gonna assign you a lot of extra homework."

"Good to know," Claus said bitterly.

"Hey, at least you don't have a problem with math. That homework should be a doozy for you." Ninten's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, hey! Hey, Ness," He suddenly yelled, waving his arms around in glee. "Check out Claus's incredible masterpiece!"

Claus shot a withering scowl at Ninten, but it was already too late; Ness had already waltzed over and was now looking down at his demolished sketchbook. "Damn, Claus. Uh, is that supposed to be a potato?"

Ninten broke into another fit of mad giggles.

Claus sulked.

"Well, at least your head resembles a circle," Lucas tried to reassure his brother, pointing at the mutant tuber-like shape in his sketch.

"Gee  _thanks,_  Lucas," Claus grumbled, snatching his sketchbook back and triggering another onslaught of Ninten's laughter. "Buzz off, guys. I'd like to see you draw any better-"

A nasally voice interrupted them, " _Hold up, loser!_ "

Lucas stiffened up.

His three friends reacted at once: Claus pushed himself protectively in front of his younger brother, a genuine scowl plastered onto his face. Ninten threw a look of equal distrust in the direction of the rude remark, and Ness silently shifted closer to all of them, ready to disperse a fight if necessary. All in all, they resembled a fierce brigade of bodyguards.

Lucas blinked in surprise at their response. "Guys? This is my problem _,_ not yours _,_ " he said softly, while trying to push his brother aside. "Let me handle this on my own-"

"Nope, too bad," Ness interrupted. "This is our problem now."

Equally taken aback by their defensive formation, Pokey openly gaped at them and hastily backpedaled to a halt. "What the hell-?"

"What do you want, Porky?" Ninten said, crossing his arms in a "no-nonsense" manner. He cocked his head to the side - a sharp tilt that intensified the haughty, proud look in his hawkeyed glare.

Undeterred by the look, Pokey glowered, latching his eyes onto his sole target. He cracked his knuckles with a growing sneer on his face. "I still have some unfinished business with someone _-"_

"Drop it, Pokey. I won't fight you," Lucas said quietly.

"Don't tell me what to do, coward. Stop hiding behind your brother's shorts, and face my fist like a man-"

"All right, bring it,  _Porky!_ " Claus spat out, sizing Pokey up with a look of absolute loathing. "Lay one finger on my brother, and forget the damn rules - I'm punching  _you_  in the face!"

 _Claus, stop._ _There's_   _something you don't understand-_

_No, I understand plenty._

Lucas looked frustrated.  _CLAUS! I said I can fend for myself!_

 _Sure, if fending for yourself means scoring two black eyes and an arm cast,_  his brother said coolly without batting an eye. A muscle twitched in Claus's jaw from a twinge of annoyance. S _top pushing me, Lucas. You can't make me move._

Lucas made a noise of exasperation, then shoved his brother in the shoulder, but his efforts were in vain; Claus had stubbornly dug his heels into the tiled floor, refusing to budge even an inch.

Pokey unwisely stepped forward.

Baring his teeth, Claus pulled up his sleeves and-

In a bout of quick thinking, Ness stepped in between them.

Without keeping his glare off of Claus, Pokey planted himself in place. "Admit it, Ness. He's a coward-"

"Don't call him a coward."

"Oh yeah? Look at him and tell me that he doesn't have freaky hair then," Pokey blubbered, jabbing a finger in Lucas's direction, only to cower back when Claus's angry  _wildcat-like_  hiss rose in intensity. When Pokey took a step back, Claus stopped hissing to shift himself to better cover his brother. "Lucas looks like a freak, and he sings like a freak-"

Ness's eyes hardened. "Don't call him a freak."

"He's forcing you to fight, isn't he? What kind of friend  _does_  that? Aha, see! Only a freak would," Pokey cried scathingly, gesturing at the twins with his hands. "Not that I expect the loser to know any better. No wonder he and his brother are a twin freakshow. He's fame-hungry, girly, dirt poor, and grew up with no parents-"

"Lucas is none of those things. The only person trying to start the fight here is you."

"Only because he's a-"

"Get lost, Pokey."

"What do you see in him, huh? His blond hair? I have blond hair too," Pokey argued, almost sounding at wit's end. "Was that it, Ness? Were you that desperate for a friend to replace me?!"

"He never replaced you."

Pokey's breath hitched up a notch. "...What do you mean?"

"Lucas never replaced you," Ness repeated, resolutely meeting his eyes. "You did that yourself."

The penny dropped.

Hushed silence spread for miles.

Then Pokey whipped around with a broken ear-shattering howl and lunged for Lucas with extended hands. Kicking his brother back, Claus broke into a vicious snarl, ready to tackle the bully head-on, but before anyone could react, Ness had thrown himself in the way. Several girls shrieked as Pokey slammed Ness against the lockers. But excited onlookers were starting to form around the pair, eagerly waiting for a good show. Like a madhouse, the students hollered and egged them on.

_"Whup his ass, Ness!"_

_"Fight, fight, fight!"_

Two burly hands quickly yanked Ness up, twisting into the scruff of his shirt.

"I hate you!"

"Don't hurt my friends."

"Fine, if you like your friend so much, then  _you_  can take his place!"

Shouting his name in alarm, they hurried over to help, only to be caught by Ness's glare.  _Don't intervene,_ he seemed to be saying.

Enraged beyond his wits, Pokey raised a thick hand, pulling back to deliver a massive blow, but Ness didn't turn away. As if hypnotized, Pokey trembled, staring into his eyes.

"So it all comes down to this," Ness finally gritted out; his cap had fallen off in the midst of the fray. "Okay, you got me, Pokey. What are you gonna do now? Punch me? Beat me into pulp?"

"SHUT UP, NESS. I'M TRYING TO THINK!"

"Picky would hate to see that you've sunken so low."

Pokey's death grip on Ness's collar tightened so hard that his knuckles turned alabaster white from exertion. The cords in his hefty arms stood out, taut from tension, and for a teetering second, it looked like Ness was about to receive the beating of his life.

As if sensing this, Ness grimly wrapped his own hands over Pokey's grip to slacken the chokehold in a moment's notice.

Then Pokey slumped over, releasing the hold and letting Ness tumble onto the floor.

"…I hate you. I really do." Thick tears began to leak out of Pokey's eyes. "You used to ask me if I was okay. You used to ask if I was doing all right, if I needed an extra hand or two. But now, it's like you don't even care." There was a pause, then a choke. "You're so lucky, Ness. You can go home and cry to mommy, and mommy will make things better, but all my parents care about is money. I have no one. And it's not  _fair._  I never asked to be born! I never asked to be made this way!" Pokey scrunched up his eyes. More tears escaped down his face. "I was wrong. You're no better than the rest of them. So stop pretending like you care, and I'll leave you and your friends alone. Sod off. _"_

Roughly shoving Ness into the tiles, Pokey turned and marched away, disappearing around the corner.

The whispering grew around them as Ness slowly picked himself back up, surrounded by his appalled classmates.

"Ness, are you okay?"

"Bring him to Nurse Tessie-"

"We should report this to a teacher-"

"I'm okay. Don't tell the teachers. Minor misunderstanding." Ness forced a small smile. Raising his head, Ness caught Ninten's eye, then indicated to the side with a barely noticeable jerk of the head. Realization dawning on his features, Ninten poked the twins by the arm to grab their attention, then escaped from the crowd by veering outside.

Head hanging and staring at the ground, Ness was already waiting for them. He was leaning against the brick wall with both his hands stuffed in his pockets when they arrived.

"Ness," Ninten finally started in awe. "That was either an incredibly brave or an incredibly stupid thing you did."

In no mood to discuss what happened, Ness merely gave him a half-hearted shrug. "I knew that Pokey couldn't hurt me. There was nothing brave about that."

"Well, it's a good thing you stepped in," Claus said bluntly. "Or else, I would've gotten to Pokey first. What a creep."

Ninten laughed. "No kidding!"

Hesitant about what he would find, Ness absentmindedly took in their words, and instead, turned to the friend who had yet to speak.

Lucas wouldn't meet his eyes.

His heart plummeted. "Lucas-"

"I don't know," Lucas said quietly, still not raising his head. "What do you want me to say?"

When Lucas brushed past them with his bag, Claus rolled his eyes. "Is that supposed to be a rhetorical question?"

"Yeah, Lucas. Lighten the fuck up," Ninten hooted after him. "If Pokey decides to bully you again, then we'll just beat him up for you!"

Lucas had stiffened up again, having lurched to a complete halt. He'd turned as frighteningly still as a statue. For an uncomfortable moment, they watched the younger twin struggle for a suitable response.

Finally, Lucas spoke. His voice sounded horribly lifeless. "...Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

Without another word, Lucas trudged off in the direction of the lockers.

Bewildered, Ninten stared after him, then at the accusatory looks of the other two boys aimed his way. "What? Was it something I said?"

Sensing his brother's disappointment stewing in his mind, Claus made a move to follow, only to be blocked by someone's arm.

Ness had stopped him in his tracks.

"Let's head to class," Ness said in a strangely hollow voice.

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~oO0Oo~

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Lost and confused by Lucas's behavior, Ninten had hoped to catch the twin in class, but that opportunity was never granted to him. As if reading his mind, Miss Marshmallow had volunteered Ninten and a couple of unlucky students to enact a long passage from  _Romeo and Juliet_  in their homeroom English class. After that debacle, Ninten had been set on cornering Lucas in the cafeteria, but a last-minute complication with borrowing books had forced Lucas to miss lunch. Upon hearing his whereabouts, Ninten had been ready to charge into the library before Ness startled him by clamping a hand onto his shoulder.

"I know that you meant well," Ness had muttered. "And I'm sure Lucas knows too. Don't take it to heart."

Yet, Ninten couldn't help but feel even worse. He had somehow managed to upset the quietest person in school.

Brilliant.

Sulking over his failure to reconciliate, Ninten made his way to History. Upon stepping over the threshold, Ninten found his eyes hesitantly flickering to the second row seats.

Waiting for the teacher to arrive, Lucas was already making himself busy by reading, deeply absorbed in his textbook. Sitting beside his brother, Claus awkwardly met Ninten's eyes with a grimace, looking vastly uncomfortable about how to react. Even he seemed uncertain about how to approach his brother. Taking the longer route around, Ninten threw Claus a sympathetic look of his own before dumping his bag onto the ground.

Oh well. At least Claus wasn't mad at him.

The bell rang once more, and Mr. Leder arrived shortly with his sixth cup of coffee in hand. After politely asking the class if they were prepared for lecture, the photographic genius began droning facts about Dalaam.

"Due to their strict immigration policy, Dalaam bars entry to non-native persons-"

Consumed by his thoughts, it took about half an hour for Ninten to realize that he 'd spaced out. Instinctively, he glanced down at his notes, then noticed that he'd written down absolutely nothing. Ninten groaned; Claus never took notes, and Ness was in an entirely different class period. In a wild stroke of genius, Ninten wondered if he could ask Lucas for his, but he instantly shot that down with a wince.

Lucas would probably share his notes if he asked.

And that was the worst part about it; Ninten didn't have the guts to ask him. It felt dirty, like he was taking advantage of his friend's kindness, and feeling incredibly guilty for even considering the option, Ninten cast his eyes to the front.

Mr. Leder had turned to face the blackboard.

Perfect.

Seizing his chance, Ninten wadded up a sheet of paper and threw it, expertly hitting Claus on the head.

Said target jerked his head up in alarm. Raising his eyebrows, Claus shot his assailant a look. Mouthing something, Ninten furiously pointed down at his desk. Bemused, Claus gave the droning teacher a side-glance before unfolding the scrunched ball of paper.

𝓘𝓼 𝓱𝓮 𝓾𝓹𝓼𝓮𝓽? 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵.

Claus spared a glimpse to the side. Oblivious to their shenanigans, Lucas had bent over his desk, jotting down notes in his usual diligence. Not in the mood to disrupt his brother's concentration, Claus turned around, giving Ninten a helpless shrug.  _I don't know,_ he mouthed back.

Ninten's head drooped over.

It was gonna be a long day.

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~oO0Oo~

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The rest of school passed excruciatingly slowly.

When dismissal finally came, it was with a general air of relief. Ness waved goodbye to a thoroughly miserable-looking Ninten, then headed off on foot. Along the way, the Onett teen ran his errands, stopping by to pick up some groceries before strolling down the familiar sidewalk home. Not many people passed by this side of town, preferring the more convenient road.

But Ness welcomed the silence.

It gave him the chance to think.

Claus and Ninten had every right to be prejudiced, especially after Pokey had viciously bullied Lucas too many times to count. Ness's stomach gave a nasty twinge when he recalled some unpleasant middle school memories. After all, a broken arm was nothing to trifle with.

Then as Ness shifted his glance to the cracked sidewalk, he couldn't help but think back to the stark expression on Porky's face, the words the bigger boy had spoken to him.

_So stop pretending like you care, and I'll leave you and your friends alone._

Frustrated, Ness shook his head as if to rid himself of Pokey's voice. Ness  _did_  care. He genuinely did. Had. Used to. Angry, and not sure why, Ness kicked an empty soda can off the sidewalk. Really though, Pokey brought this upon himself. Pokey couldn't be condoned -  _not when he'd made Lucas's life a living hell_  - and this, Ness knew very well. Ness had tried, Ness had tried so hard to give Pokey a thousand chances and more... but now, Ness wondered if he'd gotten tired of trying. Maybe, there was no point in trying to mend a friendship that simply wasn't there at all.

Still, a small part of Ness had hoped that Pokey would mature and come around.

And bitterly, Ness supposed that he was proven wrong.

But what bothered Ness most, beyond broken friendships and dreams, was the simple fact that lay in the form of the fat bruise on Pokey's shoulder.

Aloysius was beating his son again.

Something clattered, and Ness recoiled instinctively, catching himself about to smash the discarded water bottle with his foot. Realizing that there was no threat around, Ness forced himself to relax, and took a deep breath.

_If those Starmen get the jump on me, I might not be so lucky to fend them off._

A sour taste pervaded Ness's mouth. With all that had happened, Ninten had failed to track down their "mystery powerhouse," and Ness was worried for a good reason - They were still nowhere close to solving the mystery, and the blackmail deadline was tomorrow.

Ninten had  _said_  that he'd sensed two people who fit the bill.

Why couldn't he narrow them down to one?

_Everyone's PSI core is different from person to person. Ninten_ _should've had no problem isolating one of the PSI signatures from the other._

But if Ninten had trouble trying to distinguish the two PSI signatures from each other, then that meant that they had to be almost - if not completely - identical.

 _And that makes no sense,_  Ness mused, furrowing his eyebrows.  _No two PSI signatures are exactly the same, and we already ruled out the possibility of a core splitting into two._

But this was stuff they'd already known. Frustrated, Ness stomped a foot into a particularly large tree root, and shaking his head to clear his mind, started over from the start.

PSI was like DNA. The closer two psychics were related, the more similarities their PSI signatures shared. It explained how Ninten had been able to open Giygas's desk. Giygas was his adopted uncle. No doubt Ninten's PSI was influenced by parts of his. Their PSI must've been similar enough to fool the lock.

But even if two PSI signatures were  _similar,_  they couldn't be the  _same_. Ninten should've been able to pick out the differences without a bat of his eye. It was like trying to tell apart two brothers or sisters by DNA; anyone could tell apart who was who.

There was absolutely no way two people could share the exact same DNA. It was genetically impossible...

...Unless they were twins.

Ness's breath hitched in his throat. Immediately, he flicked past his memories, desperately trying to prove himself wrong. But as if his eyes had been opened to the full picture, all the puzzle pieces suddenly clicked into place.

_Ninten's constant headache, the weird looks the twins had thrown each other from time to time, Claus's guilty expression at the Halloween Dance... it makes sense. IT ALL MAKES SENSE._

Ninten had sensed two PSI cores... because there had been two people who could conjure PK Love.

Stumped by the obvious, Ness came to a halt. Wow. That mystery had been a LOT easier to solve than he'd expected.

 _How ironic,_ Ness thought wryly.  _That the people we had been searching for were literally in our faces the entire time._

Now that the case had been cracked, Ness had to protect them. Contrary to what Ninten had believed, Ness was highly suspicious of Giygas. Whatever Giygas had said had convinced Ninten in one night, and Ninten wasn't someone who changed his mind at the snap of a finger. And judging from what little Ninten had told him about the dinner party, Ness was uneasy. For someone uninvolved with the opposing side, Giygas knew too much.

Ana and Poo had disappeared from school.

Paula and Kumatora had disappeared near their homes.

Only a teacher could wander around school without suspicion. Only a teacher could know where all students lived.

And in all cases, each student had been cleverly isolated from their surroundings before their kidnappings.

His muscles failed him, so Ness steadied his grip on the groceries, but the plastic handles kept slipping through his sweaty fingers. An uneasy feeling flashed through his mind, as if Ness had forgotten something crucial, something important-

...no, that was impossible. Ness had solved the mystery. Ness had cracked the case.

Gritting his teeth, Ness shifted through his memories a second time. Giygas  _clearly_  knew what he was doing, and Ness didn't like the thought of leaving the twins alone with him, not one bit...

Alone...

Didn't Claus have detention today? Alone with Giygas?

Ness's eyes dilated in horror. _Shit. Claus!_

Ness whirled around, doubling back in the direction of the school. He plowed through the empty sidewalk, pumping his arms so wildly at his sides that his grocery bounced in their bags-

In his haste, Ness hadn't expected to crash into someone.

With a yelp, Ness rebounded off something hard and smacked himself against the ground with a painful  _thud._  The grocery bags flew out of his hands, their contents whizzing through the air. A milk carton splattered the sidewalk in a sticky white mess. Several eggs smashed onto the concrete road in a crescendo of sickening cracks.

But that was the least of his worries.

Feeling an awful sense of growing dread, Ness's eyes slowly traveled up from the familiar silver feet, up a shiny metal torso, and finally on the emotionless gaze of a Starman. When several of its buddies stood stiffly behind it in attention, Ness's heart plummeted sharply.

Five expressionless faces studied him before breaking out into a groan.

**"TARGET IDENTIFIED: NESS."**

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~oO0Oo~

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To say that Ninten was frustrated was the understatement of the century.

He could tell that Ness was equally downhearted by their subsequent failures. As Ness threw him a weak smile and waved him off, Ninten could only stand stock-still in front of the school.

Then the freakout began.

Breaking into a sprint across the school courtyard, Ninten gripped his temples in frustration.  _Crap, crap, shit! No suspects, no hints... nothing! What now?_

Well, at least nothing beat being stranded in school...

WHICH HE WAS.

Ninten wanted to cry.

School had canceled all extracurricular activities for an entire week due to bad weather conditions. Unfortunately, this extended to mocktrial... which Ninten had forgotten in his haste. At the thought, he forced a grin, remembering how Ness threw a hissy-fit today for not being able to schedule a last-minute baseball practice.

But the weather station had been completely wrong. Today the weather was gorgeous. The sun out with just the right touch of wind. The cool air felt pleasantly refreshing against his spiky hair. In short, it seemed like normal weather for a normal day.

That was before something moist grabbed his arm.

Emitting a girly shriek, Ninten jumped ten feet into the air. "Agh! Get-" His eyes widened at the unexpected sight. "Pokey?"

Sobbing grossly into his hands, Pokey was in no condition to respond in coherent English. In fact, the big bully was practically  _bawling_. Tears dripped down his chubby cheeks from red-rimmed eyes, mixing in with the snot running freely from his nose.

Mildly disgusted, Ninten opened his mouth to crack a sarcastic remark, probably something along the lines of  _go the fuck away,_ but thinking back to Pokey's breakdown earlier in the hallway, the words died in his throat.

Damn it. What was Ninten supposed to do now? He was no Ness. He was no philanthropist. He didn't have the same compassion Ness had, the same patience to treat every single person like they were special.

But though he had no love for Pokey - and admittedly still felt very rueful at the way he'd treated Lucas like shit - Ninten was struck by a bizarre surprise at his alarming condition. He couldn't stand here and do nothing.

...Great, now Ness's conscience was rubbing off on him.

Uncertain, Ninten shuffled over. Maybe he could... start off with a greeting or something. "Um, hi. Can you like, stand five feet away from me? Thanks."

With a watery gurgle, Pokey stumbled, bumping straight into Ninten and sending the smaller boy sprawling onto the ground.

Understandably, Ninten was furious. "What the fuck is your problem?" he shouted, pushing himself back onto his feet, but Pokey latched onto him by tightly hugging his legs.

"Don't... Don't go," he blubbered.

"Let go of me, you big oaf," Ninten snapped.

"Help me, Ninten-!"

"Well gee, I don't know if I want to now."

"He knows!"

"Pokey, if you seriously don't let go of me in the next two seconds-"

"He's, he's after Ness..."

"Hold on, what? Who's  _he?_ And who's after Ness?" When Pokey let go, rolling away in fetal position to snivel under his breath, Ninten scowled, marching over and forcing him to look him in the eye. "Pokey. What. The heck. Are you saying. About Ness?"

Pokey only took one look at him before completely losing it. "I DON'T WANNA KNOW," he howled, breaking down uncontrollably. "Don't ask me, Giygas probably has him by now-"

"Giygas?" Ninten whispered, suddenly terrified. "What does Giygas have to do with... But he can't. He wouldn't know. _"_

Paying no attention to Ninten seemingly talking to himself, Pokey began to bawl louder into an incoherent mess. "I didn't do it because I wanted to, h-he made me! I'm innocent, I'm not- I'm innocent..."

It all clicked.

"You were the spy," Ninten yelled, jumping away from him in disgust. "You've been working under Giygas.  _You're_  the reason everybody went missing!"

"WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?!" Pokey screamed back like a wounded animal. "HE TOOK MY BROTHER!"

Ninten froze at the unexpected outburst. "He took...?"

"Giygas said that he'd return him if I cooperated," Pokey gasped, wet rivulets of tears flowing down his chubby chin. "He s-said that if I was good, he wouldn't take Ness too... but he lied." Pokey hiccuped, curling up into a pitiful ball. "He took everything away from m-me..."

Ninten had no idea what to say. For a split second, he could only stare the pitiful lump quivering against the ground. Then his feet caught up to his mind, and he shot away, tearing through the streets like never before. The sprint to the baseball field was nothing compared to the urgency he felt now. And run Ninten did, running harder than he ever had in his entire life. His feet pounded into sidewalk in a frantic, panicked tattoo. All the while, his chest heaved with the force of a thousand violent breaths, and Ninten retched, wheezing at the awful pain clawing at his sides.

Giygas's betrayal stung. It twisted a knife deeply into his heart, because all along, the perpetrator had been Giygas... Giygas, whom Ninten had dared to believe, whom he had even tried to  _trust..._

And Ninten had stupidly fallen for it. He'd fallen for the biggest trick in history, and Ness was going to pay the price for his foolishness.

Choked helplessness clogged his throat, and Ninten mentally screamed out for his friend, calling out his name for any sign of a familiar response. Anything except for an awful silence.

_Ness, where are you?_

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~oO0Oo~

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.

Sullen-faced, Claus shouldered his bag and made his way through the hallways. Ever since Pokey's intervention, school was building up to be a lousy day. And now, he had detention on top of that.

Perfect. This was fucking  _PERFECT._

"Claus..."

Registering the soft voice, Claus turned around, trying to reassure his worried brother. "Lucas, I'll be fine. Look, why don't you go and catch the bus home?"

Lucas hesitated. "But-"

"Detention's going to last a while. You'll be here doing nothing for an hour if you wait. Go home. Seriously," he added with a frown when his brother didn't budge. "There's nothing you can do, Lucas." Claus suddenly smirked, "Unless you want to take my place in detention."

"I can take your place for you," Lucas said quietly. "It wasn't your fault-"

"-and you know that I would  _never_  let you," Claus finished firmly. He grinned, hiding his worries under a mischievous facade. "Relax, Lucas. It's only a detention. I'm not going to get mugged or anything."

"I know..." Lucas's lips quirked into a small smile, and at that moment, Claus knew he had succeeded in convincing his brother. "Okay, I guess I'll go home then."

"Good boy," Claus smirked, ruffling his brother's hair into messy curtains.

Lucas yelped and swatted his hand away. "Claus!"

Still smirking, Claus watched his twin disappear in higher spirits. Lucas's concern had never failed to brighten him up.

Mentally preparing himself for doom, Claus approached his destination and knocked. The sound echoed through the marble hallway. "Giygas?"

There was no response, and Claus frowned.

_That's strange. Is Giygas not here?_

"Hello?" Claus called out once more, rapping the door, before opening it with an ominous  ** _creaaaak._**

The entire classroom was dark.

The lights were turned off. The blinds were shut all the way, lending a sinister undertone to the eerie silence. Claus swore that he could hear his own breath as he walked into the chilly classroom. Hugging himself in warmth, Claus concluded that the AC must be on at max. He flicked on the light switch in annoyance, but after a weak flicker, the bulb fizzled and died.

_Great. I guess I'll have to wait for him in the dark._

But darkness had never bothered Claus before. With an indifferent shrug, Claus slumped down into one of the empty chairs, rummaging for his pencils in his bag. As his fingers scrabbled around the floor of his bag, he quickly realized that his calculator was missing.  _Oh right, I lent it to Lucas yesterday and forgot to ask him back for it..._

Not that Claus needed a calculator, but Giygas was quite notorious for giving detention homework with ridiculous numbers from what Ninten had said. With a long sigh, Claus stretched his legs out and resigned himself for a tedious detention.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut.

Claus jumped in his seat.

_Something's not right._

His blood ran cold.

"...Giygas?"

Then a pair of red eyes blinked back into his face.

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~oO0Oo~

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.

As soon as he heard an ear-shattering whirr, Claus threw himself off his chair.

Not a moment too soon. A giant blast of energy hit the desk, obliterating it into a pile of matchsticks.

Coughing, Claus wasted no time to react. Whatever these...  _things_  were, two things were certain: they were a threat, and he was in trouble. Instinctively, Claus called upon his magic, feeling it hum through his body in a hot rush of energy. In a swift motion, he pointed at the Starmen with his sparking hands.

"PK Love!"

Nothing happened.

Claus couldn't help but throw his hands into the air. "Oh, come on," he complained before another beam almost fried his face.

This encouraged Claus to quickly switch tactics.

"PK Thunder," he yelled instead, sizzling one Starman and sending it flying into two others.

"PK THUNDER!" Another dazzling bolt of fluorescent silver slammed into the chest of another robot, imprinting an impressive mold into the wall.

 **"** **PSI BLOCK,"**  one of them droned just as Claus tried to send out another bolt of crackling lightning. To his alarm, Claus felt a foreign force repress his PSI core, closing around it like a gloved hand.

_BLAST!_

Pairs of red eyes began to glow in sync at their intended target. Claus yelped, narrowly ducking behind a desk. With a crackling  ** _floom_ ,** the solid wood caught fire, causing deadly flames to dance across its surface like an odd birthday cake.

Squeezing his eyes tightly, Claus steadied his shaking hands.  _What are these things? Why are they attacking me?_ Claus felt a hysterical fear bubble up in his throat before he grimly quenched it.  _Well,_   _at least Lucas went home. He should be safe-_

Then the world must've seriously hated him, because as if on cue, his younger brother loudly burst into the classroom. "Sorry Claus, I realized I took your calculato-"

Dropping the calculator from his hands, Lucas froze as the Starmen focused their eyes on their new arrival.

Popping up from a desk, Claus shrieked without disregard for his own safety. "Lucas,  _DUCK!"_

Flinching in alarm, Lucas barely avoided the deadly beams of light that soared over his head. "Claus, what-"

Overcoming his initial surprise, Claus darted over to seize his brother by the wrist, yanking him out of the classroom. "Don't ask," His older brother shrieked.  _"JUST FUCKING RUN!"_

Something exploded at their feet.

Tremors rolled under their feet in a wave. Stumbling and staggering over their shoes with shouts of surprise, they managed to claw their way into an empty classroom. Heart pounding madly in his ribcage, Claus turned around, catching sight of Starmen groaning after them through a narrow slit of the door.

_Lucas, shut the door!_

Without question, Lucas bolted up and slammed the classroom door shut. Together, the twins dragged desk after desk over to barricade the entrance before desperately scanning the room for a way out like drowning rats trapped in a bottle.

Their only possible escape was the classroom door and windows. The door was definitely out of the question, and the windows had been bolted shut and barred - probably an addition of the new security measures. Claus wanted to laugh at the irony, but now was not the time to indulge in dark humor.

The door shuddered, its knob twisting madly in the fury of a thwarted predator. A vicious scratching erupted on the other side, as if a rabid animal was furiously trying to claw its way inside.

Lucas and Claus shared a glance. Their heavy, ragged breathing filled their ears, as if the very air they inhaled reeked of drowning dread.

Claus broke the silence with a feeble laugh. "...I guess detention's cancelled."

 _Claus...?_ Lucas's blue eyes flickered to his in fear. They flinched as the door rattled even more violently; a few chairs shook from the force of the Starmens' bodyslamming thunks. _What's going on?_

 _To heck if I know._ Claus flicked his hands to no avail.  _Shit, I can't use my magic!_

Lucas made a noise of alarm. _What happened?_

Then the door flew off its hinges with a gunshot-like bang. Lucas shrieked, diving to the floor as an army of Starmen barged in, their red eyes glowing. " **TARGET UNCOOPERATIVE** ," they rasped in eerie synchronization, their eyes honing in on Claus.  **"USE**   **FORCE.** "

For the second time that day, Claus was faced with another barrage of PK Beams. Several sizzling bolts narrowly missed his ears, singing the tips of his hair black. With a loud swear, Claus ducked under a desk before one beam grazed his right thigh.

Raw pain exploded across Claus's nerves.

Unable to hold his weight, his trembling leg collapsed underneath him, and Claus pitched into the ground. When the Starmen charged up another attack, Claus feebly raised an arm to defend himself-

"PK Love," Lucas cried, opening his arms in an expressive show of light. Beautiful blue hexagons shimmered through the air, and Claus looked on with awe at the display of color as the spell gently dissolved against his own skin like harmless snow.

_Why couldn't **he**  do that?_

The Starmen weren't so lucky. Upon contact, Lucas's magical hexagons tore and shredded through their metallic skin like paper. Nearby, the printer exploded in a shower of sparks, and with an inhumane screech, a Starman fell to the onslaught of fury.

In a heartbeat, Lucas was at his brother's side, supporting him back onto his unsteady feet. Claus involuntarily hissed as the agonizing burn stretched over his thigh, flaring up with pain.

Lucas gripped his hand in concern.  _Are you hurt?_

 _It's nothing. Just a small burn-_ Claus started, but Lucas had already placed a cool hand on top of his inflamed wound.

"PK Healing." Lucas's magic washed the stinging sensation away like paint, leaving Claus's skin unblemished once again.

At Lucas's display of magic, all the remaining Starmen had frozen. In eerie synchronization, they fixed their eyes upon Lucas, who looked unnerved by the sudden attention. " **SECOND TARGET ACQUIRED."**

Claus's stomach dropped. "Lucas," he whispered, but wide-eyed in fear, Lucas stood petrified in place. Claus raised his voice into a yell. "Lucas,  _RUN!_  Run before they-"

 **"PSI BLOCK,"**  droned a Starman.

_SHIT!_

_"_ PK Love!"

This time, nothing happened.

Realization dawned on Lucas's face, but as he hastily tried to correct for his mistake, one of the Starmen struck him on the skull. With the sound of metal hitting bone, Lucas collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.

Erupting into an obnoxious whirr, the Starmen deconstructed their arms into tranquilizer guns. " **TARGET PSI NEUTRALIZED.** "

 _"Goddammit,"_  Claus shouted, dragging his dazed brother back just as several quivering tranquilizer darts punched the tiles where Lucas had been a second prior.

To his relief, a rough glimpse reassured him that Lucas was okay, but shaken. With no other choice left, Claus's eyes fumbled around for the classroom door, but his heart fell. Their one ticket out was blocked by Starmen. It was a hopeless case. Claus couldn't defend Lucas and avoid the Starmens' attacks at the same time. Gritting his teeth, Claus protectively pushed his brother behind him, throwing the Starmen a defiant glare despite the fear that threatened to bubble up his throat.

Claus was beyond terrified. They were about to be the next victims of a kidnapping, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Absolutely nothing.

 


	13. Family Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Insulation against the ground is just as important as insulation against the wind. The ground acts as a heat sink, which means that if you tried sleeping on dirt (which I've tried and don't recommend), you're not going to have a good night's sleep. Also, though the boy scouts are told to boil water for a set amount of time for safe drinking, you really only have to wait until water starts roiling with bubbles (will be covered again in chp 14).
> 
> -Fire with greenery causes smoke. Dead wood and fallen, dry twigs/branches cause a relatively smokeless fire.

_"Claus," Lucas whispered._

_"I know, we're screwed." Claus's eyes darted around for any hope of escape, but found no such luck._

_Then the Starmen army clanked to a stop in front of their disbelieving eyes._

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Thirteen**_ ~

_**Family Matters** _

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* * *

With a loud fizzle of static, the lead Starman marched forward, rocking the floor from the force of its steps. Its metal chest plate slid up like a window, revealing a video screen. The back of an old leather-bound chair fizzled into the camera shot. Then the chair spun around, revealing the flickering silhouette of...

"Giygas," Claus snarled.

The addressed tilted his head in acknowledgement. "...You kept your word." Giygas's cold eyes flickered over to Lucas's face before lifting his lips into a sneer. "I see that you've brought your foolish brother along."

Catching the look, Claus angrily stepped in front of his twin. "My brother's not  _foolish_ -"

"You'd be right. Both of you are. Foolish children." Giygas tapped his fingers, raking up an agitated rhythym. One, two, three, four. "Come quietly, and no harm will come your way."

Temper erupting like wildfire, Claus was about to shoot out a nasty retort when Lucas set a firm hand on his twin's shoulder. Giygas had the upper hand here. Losing their temper would only make matters worse.

"If we go missing, then the police are bound to investigate," Lucas said with false confidence, although Claus caught the quiver in his voice. "You should leave while you can-"

"You can't stall me. Both of you are outnumbered. I have the final say here." Giygas cut off, proud and haughty, and Lucas's hopes plummeted. "The Onett Police Force are incompetent fools who currently have their hands full with a computer bug in their system. No help will come your way."

"What have we ever done to you?" Lucas blurted out. "We... we didn't do anything!"

With a groan, Claus dragged a hand down his own.  _God, Lucas, you're so naïve. I honestly don't think Giygas barging in to kidnap us has anything to do with our school conduct._

 _We don't know his motives. It couldn't hurt to ask,_  Lucas shot back.

"You know PK Love. I had my suspicions... until you confirmed them. I'm done waiting. I've been waiting for this day for a long time." Giygas tapped his fingers against his desk. One, two, three, four. His tone was difficult to read, but if anyone could decipher it... it sounded almost happy. "I don't need two idiots. One will do. Decide whom I will spare-"

"We're not deciding," Claus interrupted, reaching for his brother's arm. "Both of us are leaving."

"Under whose jurisdiction?"

A muscle twitched in Claus's jaw. "Mine. You can't tell us what to do.  _You're just a heartless jerk who does whatever you want for your own twisted pleasure!_ "

There was a horrible silence.

"HeartLeSS, aM I?" Giygas whispered.

Soft.

Dangerous.

Something about Giygas's sudden change in tone was unnerving.

Giygas's eyes flashed a mad blue. The temperature in the room seemed to drop by ten degrees, and with an involuntary shudder, a chill crawled down Claus's spine.

_**"i'LL sHoW yoU HoW hEaRTLesS i cAn bE."** _

A sudden jolt of movement caught Claus's eye. One of the Starman had lunged for him with remarkable speed, its arms pulled back to strike. Flinching in alarm, Claus raised his forearms against the painful blow-

The blow never came.

Dodging past him, the Starman snatched a startled Lucas by the throat, then roughly dragged its prized victim upright. Gasping with surprise, Lucas scrabbled desperately at his neck, trying to pry the thick arms off-

"Lucas!"

With a cry, Claus bolted towards him, but he'd barely taken two running steps in Lucas's direction before freezing with outstretched fingers. Several tranquilizer darts had clicked towards them. Shivering ominously in their sockets, the darts were so close that if he'd wanted to, Claus could simply bend over and pluck one out.

With a sharp breath, Claus forced himself to relax. No sudden moves.

If Giygas knocked them both out, there was no way Claus could ensure his brother's safety.

" _ **Ah, a** H, ah_," Giygas said, narrowing his eyes into a condescending frown. "If I were you, I wouldn't take another step. You see, my finger might just  _slip_  on the wrong button, and well... we wouldn't want anything tragic to happen to brother dearest, would  **wE?"**

"Let. Him. Go." Claus gritted out. Giygas could've easily knocked both of them out in one volley, yet for some strange reason, he'd refrained from shooting.  _What on earth was he waiting for?_

Then Giygas gave into a disturbing smile, and Claus realized that the man was toying with him. "dELi **ciOuS** **FOoL**. You called me a he **ArtLeS** s  **jeR** k. I suppose that gives me free reign to do anything I want. _"_

Claus bristled. _This **bastard!**_

As if immune to Claus glaring daggers into his face, Giygas reclined back into his chair. "Now that I have something you treasure dearly, understand the position you are stuck in. Observe... my Starmen. Each one was hand-crafted in my own research facility. At your state, you'd be a fool to mess with any one of them." At Claus's frozen expression of loathing, Giygas's eyes hardened. "I hated to consort to force, but you provOkeD me. Be careful. I might... lose c **oNtROL,"**  he breathed, and as if trembling from the sound of his voice alone, the lights in Giygas's room flickered and shivered with fear. Claus involuntarily rubbed the goosebumps on his arms. "...if you behave, I might spare your brother from becoming a huMaN s **NaCK**."

"Claus, don't listen to him. He's messing with you," Lucas warned, steadying his voice. He winced as the Starman's other arm snaked around his torso, squeezing his ribs with tight pressure.  _I'll be fine. GO._

 _I'm not leaving you behind._  Hardening his resolve, Claus tightened his hands into fists. "Blackmail? Really, Giygas? This is cheap and underhanded, even for you."

Giygas forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Love drives us to do desperate things."

Claus narrowed his eyes at the patronizing tone. He wasn't going to give Giygas the satisfaction of rattling him. "Leave my brother out of this," he demanded, his eyes almost  _boring_  a hole into the crackling screen. "I can use PK Love too. Take me instead."

"Claus, no!" Lucas yelled, immediately redoubling his struggling. "You can't-" The Starman's crushing force tightened around Lucas's throat, cutting off his voice into a strangled gurgle.

"Are you trying to bribe me?" Giygas asked, his voice tinged with amusement. "Why the change of heart? At least, your first response was honest."

Lucas weakly kicked at his captor's feet, but the Starman squeezed Lucas's throat tighter, forcing out harsh, throttled whimpers of pain. Still smiling as if about to hand out an insanely difficult math test to the class, Giygas tapped a finger to his chin, taking in Claus's horrified look of helpless dismay. "Tell me. What was your first reply to my offer? You... refuse to decide? You misunderstand the situation. Either one of you is expendable to me," he said softly. "I could kidnap your brother. I could kidnap you and leave him unscathed. Or..." A strange look entered Giygas's eyes. There was an almost hypnotizing quality in those depths. "If you refuse to cooperate, I could harm him most grievously."

Lucas choked, his lips turning a pale shade of blue.

 _"STOP,"_  Claus begged, abandoning all pretense. "He didn't do anything-"

"Wrong answer."

It happened before Claus heard it. With a snap and a crackle, a million bolts of electricity arched through Lucas's body like living needles. Lucas jerked and writhed in pain, his mouth open in an inaudible cry-

Claus's scream instantly drowned him out. "NO, DON'T HURT HIM!  _PLEASE-!"_

As quickly as it happened, the electricity stopped. Starved for air, Lucas fell limp in the Starman's grip with a half-strangled sob.

"P-Please," Claus whispered, clenching his shaking hands. "I'll do anything. Don't hurt him again."

"You won't cause any more trouble?"

"I won't."

Upon fulfilling Giygas's wish, the Starman released its death grip, and Lucas collapsed heavily onto the floor on all fours, retching and clutching at his sore throat.

In a heartbeat, Claus was at his brother's side. " _Lucas_ ," he cried, frantically hovering over Lucas's shuddering form like a mother hen. "Lucas, are you okay?"

 _Yes,_ was what Lucas wanted to say, but considering that Lucas had almost been strangled to death, his lungs were admittedly busy  _trying to breathe_ instead of  _trying to talk_. However, not someone to leave his brother hanging, Lucas managed to nod his head weakly.

Taking this as a green light, Claus pulled him into a fierce hug. Badly rattled and horrified, he began to choke back the lump in his throat. _I shouldn't have yelled at Giygas, h-he could've, you could've-_

Biting back a wince whenever Claus's hands brushed against his neck, a shaky Lucas buried himself into his brother's warm embrace. His rigid fingers clung onto the back of Claus's shirt, digging deep furrows into the cloth as Lucas steadied his breathing. It was a childish sentiment, but Lucas instinctively relaxed at Claus's touch; his brother's arms promised safety. Nothing could hurt him as long as Claus was here.

A pulse of an unusually strong emotion washed over him, and Lucas shivered. Raw fear radiated from Claus in spiking waves, sending Lucas's psychic senses haywire. Troubled, Lucas glanced upwards to decipher Claus's expression, but noticing him, his brother only put on a brave face. Even now, his older brother was trying to be strong for the two of them.

Though unintentional, Lucas had made his brother deeply upset.  _Hey,_ Lucas murmured, trying to reassure his brother.  _I'm fine. Honest._

After searching his face with worried eyes, the tense expression on Claus's face finally relaxed. Letting out a breathless laugh of relief, Claus hugged Lucas tighter.  _Lying to my face?_ _You're the worst._

 _That's why I'm not the troublemaker of the family,_ Lucas chirped, and to his delight, Claus rolled his eyes.

_For someone half-strangled, you sure have a lot of sass._

Lucas poked his brother in the shoulder, ignoring the painful burning sensation in his throat. Lucas knew that he'd succeeded in lifting his brother's mood when he felt his brother's tight-hold relax.

Observing them, Giygas's impassive eyes seemed to flicker with a strange look. Was it pity? Regret? Whatever it was, the sentiment vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

"You now know what I am capable of," Giygas spoke, making both the twins jump. "I'm not above inflicting pain. I'm not above underhanded tactics."

Knowing better than to argue, Claus gripped onto Lucas's hand like a lifeline. With a flutter of fingers, he felt Lucas squeeze his hand back.

At the lack of response, Giygas let out an exasperated sigh. They could almost hear his breath crackle with static on screen. "I regret giving you the option for a diplomatic approach. If you can't decide, then I'll take both of you myself. Two of you might be more useful than one, and I'd rather not leave any witnesses. I hope you don't mind."

Giygas tilted his head. Like a silent wave, his Starmen army advanced with glowing eyes, aiming their tranquilizer darts with deadly accuracy.

Lucas squeezed his eyes shut, and Claus instinctively wrapped his arms around him.  _Don't look, Lucas. It'll be over soon, just don't look..._

_**"...Good night."** _

With a high-pitched whistle, the darts hurtled through the air, and Claus closed his eyes in defeat.

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~oO0Oo~

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A thunderous roar hit their ears.

_"NOW NINTEN."_

"PK POWERSHIELD!"

Spinning like an expanding amber-colored pizza, Ninten's shield skidded into the middle of the destroyed classroom. Upon contact, the Starmens' darts pelted the crackling shield with a series of  ** _twangs_** , harmlessly bouncing off its surface to pepper the blackboard with holes. "Offense up," Ninten added for a good measure, and a flash of pulsating amber light engulfed their feet.

"How did you-" Claus managed to start before he was interrupted by the thunderous  _ **crack**  _of a bat ferociously smashing home. The nearest Starman crumpled in with a nasty crunch, and Giygas's video screen fizzled out in a weak sputter.

Ness flashed them a light grin that contrasted heavily with his dark sooty face. "Phew, that was a close call."

"You- how?" Lucas managed to rasp, coughing as his throat burned up in protest.

"To summarize-" Ninten picked out a chunk of ash from his hair. He and Ness looked like victims of a volcanic eruption. "-we met some company along the way, and figured out you'd need a hand."

Unfazed by the loss of its fellow comrades, a Starman clunked over, flickering with another video screen. Recognizing the face on the screen, Ness tightened his grip on his bat. "...Giygas. We won't let you get away with this."

Giygas clicked his tongue in irritation. "Stand aside, you fool-"

He was interrupted by a third voice. "Why?" Ninten croaked, staring at Giygas with betrayal. " _Why are you doing this?!_ "

Giygas shifted uncomfortably at his outburst. Some of his wild energy seemed to have dissipated from earlier. "Give up, Ken," he said quietly. "You won't get past me easily."

"I don't think so," Ness snarled, already in motion.

Revving up with excited purple sparks flying in its wake, a magically reinforced yo-yo looped itself around the Starman before its owner yanked back the string like a taut fishing line. The sturdy string snapped straight, pinwheeling the Starman into its comrades with a loud thunderclap _._  With a high-pitched screech of metal against metal, the groaning Starmen toppled into the ground. Puffs of dust escaped from their feet.

"Get them," was Giygas's only command.

When the remaining Starmen lurched froward, clawing for their prey with their arms, Ness knew what he had to do.

With a whisper of an incantation, Ness's eyes glowed a deep purple. Hot white sparks furiously flooded his torso. Stuck for a loss of words and still shell-shocked over their timely rescue, the twins could only dumbly stare at the magnificent display of raw PSI.

"Uh oh," Ninten yelled, staggering over to pull them out of the way.

"PKaaay..." Dramatically summoning an air-guitar with the flick of the wrist, Ness strummed its invisible strings with a earth-shattering shout.  _"ROCKIN'!"_

Belting out sixteenth notes, the roar of power flung music notes around in abandon, bouncing like crazy colorful beachballs. Psychedelic beams of light seared their sight. Scrunching up their eyes and covering their ears, his friends did their best to block out the wave of heavy metal punching everything it touched.

In a discordant chorus, the windows shattered one by one. The resulting explosion blasted all the Starmen off their feet.

Still, their worries were far from over.

 _"Incoming,"_  Ninten screamed, pointing at another fleet of buzzing Starmen through the shattered windows.

With a swear, Ness pulled Lucas to his feet. "No time to explain. Hold on tight."

"But Claus-"

Darting into the wreckage, Ninten alleviated Lucas of his worries by yanking Claus over by the back of his shirt.

"AUUGH! Ninten, what the hell-"

Struggling to reboot their systems with a groan, the Starmen latched their faceless visors onto them. On screen, Giygas's image fizzled and popped. Sparking madly, its speakers died once,  _twice,_  before the sound flickered back. An awful, distorted voice erupted from the screen. "ThIs iSnT oVeR..." His eyes almost seemed to burn a hole into the back of Ninten's head.  _"...Ken."_

 _"NESS, ANYTIME NOW WOULD BE GREAT,"_  Ninten shrieked.

Snapping out of his frozen reverie, Ness lurched away, dragging them out into the corridor. His body glowed in heat as a flurry of hot spiraling sparks consumed his blurred feet. When Ness began to sprint, the air around them whipped up into a howl like a tornado, buffeting their faces with a fierce vigor and stealing the breath from their lungs. Classrooms and tiles melted into shapeless blocks of color, meshing and melting into one-

In a wild scream of adrenaline, Ness hit forty... fifty...  _eighty miles an hour...!_

Then there was nothing left but a black spot of charred ash.

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~oO0Oo~

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A lone Starman planted its feet into the tiles. Slowly, its fingers brushed against a pile of ash, confirming its worst suspicions before scattering the ash into the wind like shredded sandpaper.

The children had escaped.

"You've made yourself a grave enemy, Ken. Your ignorance will be your undoing."

Giygas rose from his seat, ignoring the cacophony of mechanical hums and  _ **whirs.**_  His thin fingers snagged an edge of an old yellow photograph, and lifted it up to his eyes.

A lost smile. A cold warmth.

"You can't hide the twins from me forever. My plans will come to fruition. I will succeed."

The fragile picture frame shook madly in his fingers, the old photo threatening to tear in his grip.

" _ **I wiLL sUcCeED**_ ," Giygas repeated, and his black pupils hardened into unforgiving obsidian.

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~oO0Oo~

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It was quiet.

 _Too_  quiet.

There was no question about what they were all brooding about. The recent ambush, the unspoken confrontation with Giygas... it had left them all shaky on their feet.

Ness might not have been an expert at telepathy, but the heavy guilt weighing down on their shoulders was hard to miss. He glanced backwards to see how his friends were faring: Lucas was not too far behind, closely followed by a Claus who never seemed to stray more than an inch away from his brother. Trailing behind at the rear, Ninten took first guard with a glum look on his face.

Ness kicked a pebble aside, wearily continuing to trudge up the sloped forest.

After he'd teleported them to the outskirts of the city, the four had immediately taken to the wilderness in search of safety. It wasn't until they had sprinted a good distance away from the highway that they took a break, panting under the shelter of the foliage. For the first time since, Ness had finally studied Lucas and Claus up close. To say that they looked beaten up was an understatement. Claus looked like some crazy madman had tried to burn half his hair off with a blowtorch, and Lucas...

_Ness's eyes widened into the size of dinner plates. "Holy shit, what happened to your voice, Lucas? You sound like Darth Vader!" He jabbed a finger in Lucas's direction. "And... and what's that on your neck?!"_

_By now, everyone's attention was on the younger twin._

_Lucas looked unnerved by the sudden scrutiny, surreptitiously covering his own throat with his hands. "It's just a small bruise," he tried to laugh off. "I can heal it-"_

_Before Lucas could react, Claus had pried both of his brother's hands away, exposing his skin. Hearing Claus's sharp intake of breath, Ness had curiously leaned forward-_

_An unpleasant sight hit his eyes._

_Grotesque greenish-purple bruises lined Lucas's throat like thin dark stripes. The bruised bands stood out against his pale skin. Claus tentatively brushed against one with a finger, and Lucas flinched, letting out a hiss of pain._

_"Lucas, did my uncle do that to you?" Ninten asked weakly. Lucas hesitated, not knowing how to respond, but that was all the convincing it took for Ninten's face to fall._

_Claus clenched his teeth. "I'm gonna kill that bastard-"_

_"It's only a bruise!" Lucas roughly shoved his brother's hands away. The harsh rasp coming out of his throat was barely decipherable. It was as if someone had swapped Lucas's voice with the croak of a dying bullfrog._ _"PK Healing." The bruises vanished in a tingle of green sparks. "See?" Lucas voiced out, sounding normal. "It's no big deal."_

_"It's **no big deal**?" Ness emphasized incredulously. "What happened to you guys?"_

Claus had clamped up with a stony expression on his face. Lucas had oddly looked reluctant to answer as well, so Ness had dropped the unpleasant subject like a hot potato. While he did have a horrible suspicion, he didn't voice it. But whatever had happened back there with Giygas had left Claus silently bristling with hostility, and Lucas quietly lost in his thoughts.

Anyways, Ness didn't have time to pry before Ninten dropped another nuke onto the party. Looking like he was trying to swallow something unpleasant, Ninten had looked Ness square in the face.

_"...Pokey was the spy."_

No. It couldn't have been. But the more Ness thought about it... the more his stomach plummeted like a stone... the more sense it made.

Pokey was the spy.

_Claus kicked a pebble off the dirt trail. "Why didn't any of us see this coming? That stupid... aUGH!"_

_"How did you find out?" Ness said numbly, his stomach twisting into unpleasant knots._

_"I bumped into him on my way to find you, Ness. He was a wreck._ _Guess the blubbering idiot must've changed his mind-_ _" Sounding more bitter than black coffee, Ninten tore a couple of branches out of his way. "Pokey wanted out, but Giygas blackmailed him by kidnapping his brother. When Giygas found out you were a psychic too, Ness, he must've had additional blackmail on top of that."_

_"A likely excuse," Claus snarled. He didn't sound very sympathetic, especially after the four of them had been nearly turned into living pincushions.. "Ugh, it was POKEY. I should've known he was up to something-"_

_"Stop it, Claus," Ness cut in coldly. "I don't forgive him for what he's done, but I can't imagine what he had to endure this whole time-"_

_"Well gee, I wonder how tough it must've been to sell us out and ALMOST FRY US INTO CRISP-"_

_"He did it to save his brother," Ninten said bluntly. "If Giygas had kidnapped Lucas and threatened to torture him, wouldn't you have done the same?"_

_Claus opened his mouth, but froze. All of his fury seemed to have burned out, replaced by horror. Claus closed his mouth, sharing an uncomfortable look with Lucas. His younger brother averted his gaze to study his shoes, and Claus swallowed hard._

_The unspoken admission hung heavily in the air like a disease._

_Out loud however, Claus muttered, "Maybe. But still, I wouldn't have sold you guys out," he added defensively._

_Not in the mood to argue, Ninten had left the conversation at that._

Even now, Ness could sense Ninten's agitation stewing in his mind.

...Not that Ninten was being subtle about it. It was pretty damn impossible to ignore the flurry of dark thoughts pouring out of Ninten's mind in twisted waves.

Claus trudged to a halt. "Stop that," he snapped, turning around. "Your thoughts are hurting my head."

"Sorry," Ninten grunted, and the volume of teenage angst noticeably decreased. Even so, Ninten was unable to hide all of his emotions. Sinking dread that didn't belong to him crept back into Ness's mind, and Ness let out a long sigh. If Ninten didn't get his feelings sorted out soon, he was going to snap, and an angry telepath with Ninten's skill was the last thing they needed here in the wilderness.

Unable to wait any longer, Ness stopped in his tracks. "Ninten-"

" _Don't_ ," Ninten snapped. He cupped his face into his trembling hands. "I can't believe I trusted Giygas... This is all my fault."

Their hearts all gave a nasty twinge at Ninten's broken voice.

"It's not your fault-" Ness began.

"How is it not my fault?" Ninten whipped around, eyes filled with self-loathing of the highest degree. Gone was any trace of the mischievous humor, gone was the optimism he usually seemed to possess. "I should've confronted him at the dinner when I had the chance. Or maybe if I'd gotten over my stupid jealousy over Poo, I could've helped him and Ana at the Halloween Dance. I've been a total tool-"

"What are you talking about?" Ness barked, all vestiges of self-control gone now. "You're completely innocent!"

"Well, Ness, if you haven't noticed by now, my uncle is a freakin'  _psychopath,"_  Ninten screamed, his eyes flaring up. Sparks of agitated PSI jumped and crackled across his hands. "You  _said_  he was suspicious, You  _said_  he was up to something, and I ignored you! I'm a good-for-nothing, useless, lying twat-"

All the unspoken frustration from the day had finally piled up. Ness whirled around all the way. "Shut up, just shut up, Ninten!"

"Don't tell me to  _shut up_ when you know who the major screw-up is!"

"If you want someone to blame, then blame me! Pokey turned everyone in because he wanted to save me!"

"He was working under Giygas-"

"Yeah, but you said it yourself. Pokey first spied for him out of his own will." Ness choked, unable to stand the guilt welling in his throat. "I could've talked to him. I could've done something... but I didn't. You spent days trying to track Lucas and Claus down. You did your best to help, but all I've done is hurt everyone."

Feeling his friends' accusatory stares boring into his back, Ness turned away from them in shame.

With a crunch of loose gravel, someone stepped forward.

Ness flinched.

All he felt was a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You're wrong," Lucas said quietly. Startled, Ness looked into Lucas's eyes. There was no blame or anger in those depths. Embarrassed, Lucas dropped the hand and lowered his head to stare at the ground. "You and Ninten saved our lives. If it wasn't for you, we... we-"

"We would've been next," Claus finished. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Listen, I dunno know why you two gave us front seats to a goddamn pity party, but this is ridiculous. Ness, you saved our sorry hides by teleporting us across half the city. And Ninten-" Ninten winced as Claus fixed icy glare on him. "Oh yeah, I totally agree. You're an idiot-"

"Gee thanks," Ninten snapped.

"-but who the hell cares if Giygas is your uncle? I mean, I guess it sucks to be you-"

Ninten glared at him. "Not. Helping. Claus."

"-but it's not like you tried to shoot our bodies full of tranquilizer darts!" Exasperated beyond his wits, Claus shook his head. "Sometimes, it's moments like these that really make me wonder how you passed your exams."

There was a pause after Claus's heated rant. As blunt as it was, this was the first time he'd ever given them a pep talk.

Then Ninten piped up, "...You're awful at comforting people."

Claus turned as red as his hair. "Well, you asked for it," he snapped back, trying to cover up his mortification, but Ninten's vampire grin had slid back onto his face.

"You don't have to tell me, Claus. I get it. Really." Ninten stuck his hands into his pockets. "I need... I think I need time to think over all of this."

"Whenever you're ready," Lucas said gently.

"Thanks." Ninten didn't sound convinced that he'd get over this anytime soon, but at the very least, his shoulders had relaxed. His dark mood had vanished, replaced now by a snort of stifled laughter. "Yeah... no. See Claus, leave the pep talk to Lucas. You're absolutely terrible at it."

Claus looked two seconds away from blowing his top.

Lucas's mouth threatened to quirk upwards. "Well... I guess you get an A for effort. You tried."

" _Tried_  being the key word." Ninten butted back.

"Why, you little-"

Ness cleared his throat. "I hate to interrupt your lovers' quarrel-" he quipped, leaving both Claus and Ninten to turn around and throw him identical scowls.

"Shuddup, Ness," they snapped in sync.

"-but we need to find shelter," Ness finished, managing to keep a straight face. He eyed the reddish-orange color of the evening sky. "It's getting dark, and we need to turn in for the night. Besides, I've had enough action for one day."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"...Nice to know that we're respecting Mother Nature to the fullest," Claus said dryly as he watched Ness axe his way through a stubborn tree branch with a ferocious swing of his baseball bat. Dragging the branch back into the campsite, Ness tossed it into their pile of firewood.

"All this dead wood can keep the fire going. If we're gonna camp out in the wilderness, we need good insulation against the ground. Rocks and dirt take out heat," Ness panted out of breath before wrestling with another tree to snap off what seemed like their thousandth limb of pine needles.

"And you would know because...?"

"Because I found out the hard way when I was a Boy Scout and tore my sleeping mat hiking up to Snowman. Now help me strip this branch of pine needles, Claus."

After another half-hour of digging around, they eventually made camp in a damp, rocky cave sheltered by a voluminous oak tree. A magical smokeless fire heated their toes - courtesy of Ness's PK fire - while the four boys curled up against the crackling warmth. Thankfully, Ness's PSI went undetected, and the fire was small enough not to be seen easily from outside. It was a perfect location; the cave was difficult enough for anyone to spot them through the foliage, yet they had an easy view of their surroundings. Ness could make out the city lights twinkling in the distance, and the blurry whoosh of cars speeding down the highway. His stomach twinged with homesickness.

Had they not been fearing for their lives, this camp-out was remarkably similar to the boy scout outings Ness had remembered attending at a younger age. Minus the smores, the  _I'm-going-to-faint-at-any-second_ exhaustion, and the feeling of imminent death.

Good times.

When Ness finally added the final touches to their fluffy mattresses of pine needles, Lucas spoke up.

"So..." Lucas stared into the dancing fire. "What now?"

They huddled closer to the camp fire. The flames illuminated their exhausted faces.

Ness sheepishly fiddled with the brim of his hat. "Well... we didn't exactly plan this far ahead-"

"-and we didn't expect you two to be targeted so soon," Ninten added with a wince.

"Whatever we do, heading back to the city is a big no-no," Claus motioned to the smoke drifting from the horizon. "We just destroyed a good chunk of the school. Even if we managed to convince the police that we  _didn't_  cause it, Giygas knows that we can use PK Love." Claus laughed bitterly. "Returning now would be like turning ourselves in."

"But why does he want us so badly?" Lucas worried. "You two are more powerful than we are-"

"Nope. You both cast PK Love, right? That's what he's after," Ninten interrupted. "It's a legendary move, you know. You might not be as experienced as us yet, but I could sense your magic pretty easily from the other side of the school."

Lucas and Claus shared an uneasy look. "You know-" Claus began.

"Don't even think about it," Ninten interrupted. "We're not abandoning you two to fend for yourselves."

"Guys, think carefully," Lucas said, now sounding desperate. "If you two hang out with us, we'd only put you in grave danger-"

"We  _are_  thinking carefully, Lucas," Ness pointed out. "Ninten and I have nowhere to go. We've already been marked down by Giygas. Assuming he decides not to come after us, we can't return to school either. Everyone's probably realized that we've gone missing. If we reappeared without warning, they'd ask us questions. Besides," Ness cut in before Lucas could interrupt. "Where will you two go? How well can you cast PSI? Do you even  _know_  how to properly control your powers?"

Reluctantly, Lucas shook his head and sank back into the ground.

"See what we mean?" Ninten exclaimed, gesturing wildly at the twins. "If we left you two  _stranded,_  then I bet both of you couldn't last a second out here!"

"Says the person with no backup plan," Claus shot back. He rattled off a list with his fingers. "We have no food, no water, no supplies, no shelter, no idea where we are, no idea where to go next-"

"Okay, we don't, but you get the point," Ness said wearily. "If we stick together and watch each other's backs, we'd have an easier time fending off the Starmen. We know that the Starmen have a limited detection range. As long as we don't draw attention by casting magic within their radius, we should be okay."

A wordless exclamation cut through the clearing.

Ninten picked Giygas's stolen document back up in surprise. "It... It just reacted to my PSI," he stammered.

"What? Lemme see-" Ness snatched up the stolen piece of paper. His eyes widened. "Ninten, that's incredible! This looks like a blueprint to some government building..."

"It's Giygas's research facility," Ninten said triumphantly. "He told me about it himself. There's a lab he owns near the base of Holy Loly mountain. I bet  _that's_  where he manufactures his Starmen."

"Then Paula, Poo, and Ana might be there too. This is perfect!" Ness glanced up at all of them. "It's settled. We're heading there first thing in the morning."

His announcement was met with much unenthusiastic response.

"What?" Ninten blurted out, almost toppling into the fire from shock.  _"Tomorrow_  morning?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea," Claus said sarcastically. "Let's wear ourselves out nice and dandy before landing right on Giygas's front step. Just how stupid are you, Ness?"

Ness smacked a banana into his face. "Look, food! Now shut up and listen."

His three friends caught the familiar " _I-have-a-crazy-plan"_ glint in Ness's eye, and exchanged a knowing glance. Ness's unorthodox ways of thinking had narrowly won them several matches out in the baseball field. Even under impossible circumstances, Ness always seemed to know what to do, whipping out a miraculous solution from underneath his baseball cap. Normally this approach didn't work well with Claus, who tended to like  _logical_  and  _practical_  survival plans, but even he had to admit that Ness generally knew what he was doing.

"Believe it or not, I actually have supplies. Talk about coincidence, but I was walking home with groceries before I got attacked." Ness studied the map in his hands. "According to this blueprint, it looks like getting to the research facility will take us two and a half days, tops. I have enough food to last us for the trip. We can stock up at the research facility. The facility looks close enough to buy supplies from the city, but far enough that anyone would have to store them there." Excitedly sitting up, Ness finished his point. "Besides, what other choice do we have?"

Ninten and Lucas shared a brief glance. Ness raised a fair point...

"Since the kidnapped students might be there, we might as well check it out," Lucas finally said.

"That's the spirit," Ness seemed to be completely invigorated by the sudden hope of freeing his friends. "Who knows? We might even find something useful about Giygas's motives while we're at it!"

"Besides world domination?" Claus snorted, crossing his arms. "Woowee."

"I suppose. Why the heck not?" Ninten suddenly blurted out. The mere mention of Giygas seemed to have revitalized his determination. "We have to find out what Giygas is up to, and stop his plans."

Three pairs of eyes flew expectantly to the last member of their party.

Realizing that he was outnumbered, Claus shot them a sour scowl.

 _"Fine._  Don't come crying to me when one of you faints from hunger," Claus snapped, turning away to mutter under his breath. "Idiots. I can't believe we all go to the same high school..."

"Oh, Claus. Cheer up," Ninten said, swinging an arm around his shoulder. "Think about it. Would you rather save the universe from my crazy uncle or do homework?"

"Neither."

"Ah, but we're technically expelled from school, so now we can go on an epic quest! It'll be like being a video game protagonist!"

"Hooray," Claus deadpanned. "We're officially homeless highschool dropouts. I'm  _so_  happy."

"Oh, no!" Lucas squeaked, clutching his own face as if just realizing his brother's words. He looked downright horrified. "That means we can't go to college anymore!"

They all took one look at his terrified expression before bursting out into laughter.

"Sorry, Lucas," Ness gasped, pounding a fist against the floor. "I can't, I-" He erupted into another fit of hilarity.

Ninten rested a reassuring hand on Lucas's shoulder. "That's okay, Lucas. Then we can all live fruitful lives at the local fast food restaurant." With a dreamy look, Ninten swished a free hand into the air as if painting out the fictitious scene. "Voila! Burger-flipping, low wages, and awful customers aplenty!"

Claus rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Lucas. Our lives are kind of at stake here, and you're here worried about getting your diploma."

"I'm not worried," Lucas blurted out defensively. His cheeks were still tinged a bright pink. "I'm just afraid for our futures."

Claus smirked. "Sure. Whatever you say."

"But... to be honest, I don't think I'll miss the homework," Lucas admitted, pondering over that thought with a smile.

Ness and Ninten released simultaneous horrified gasps.

"Oh no! What have we  _done_?" Ness cried out, waving his arms frantically.

"We've corrupted him," Ninten lamented. He set the back of his palm against his forehead. "The world must be ending! Lucas actually  _hates_  homework!"

"Don't worry, buddy, we'll save you!" Ness shouted heroically, swinging an arm around Lucas's other shoulder. Lucas stifled his own laugh as Ness whispered conspiratorially into his ear, "Once all this craziness is over, I promise you'll love homework again-"

"Dude." Claus threw Ness and Ninten an annoyed glance. "Back off. You guys are literally smothering him."

"Aaand the overprotective dork is back," Ninten crowed. "Claus, stop being such a Debbie Downer and join in on the fun already-"

"No," came the blunt response, and patting down his own mattress of pine needles, Claus rolled into his makeshift bed. "I'm getting some sleep before we go do whatever hare-brained scheme Ness cooked up today. Good night."

"But  _Claus,"_  Ninten whined.

"He's right. We should get some sleep," Ness stated, glancing at his watch. "We're in for a long two days of hiking starting tomorrow."

Ninten yawned. "I guess you're right," he admitted before curling up against a corner in his own bundle of pine needles. "'kay then, I'm turning in for the night."

"Likewise-" Lucas rose from beside the fire. "...See you guys in the morning."

Soon, the crackling of the dying fireplace replaced the sounds of conversation. Restless, they tried to wrestle away their own worries, hoping that they'd be given a brief reprieve from consciousness.

But as much as they tried, the sound of sleep was strangely absent that night.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

Wiping the dirty rag against his brow, Flint trudged inside the house. Helping himself to a refreshing cup of water after a long day, Flint leaned against the sink with a sigh. Hopefully the extra pumpkins he'd planted would mature before the cold of winter kicked in. He hoped both sons would be ecstatic to try out some homemade, piping-hot pumpkin soup for the chilly season.

...Speaking of which, the house was oddly quiet. Where were his sons?

Flint clambered upstairs and knocked on the closed bedroom door. When he heard no response, he slowly turned the knob. To his surprise, two empty beds met his line of vision.

Trudging back down into the kitchen, Flint checked out each room in the house, and to his growing disquiet, still found no sign of his sons. The man frowned, stealing a glance at the clock.  _Nine O' clock_...

The boys definitely weren't with Alec. The old man had embarked on a fishing trip with some buddies and left about a week ago. Lucas and Claus should've been home by now. Judging from his quick mental calculations, Lucas and Claus would have ridden the city bus home, and the last bus from the school campus would've brought his boys back home by 6:00 PM at the very latest. The ol' truck had finally broken down yesterday, after all...

Perhaps Claus had gone straight to a friend's house to work on his solar car after his detention and neglected to tell his father. It wouldn't have been the first time.

Then why was Lucas absent as well? Claus, he could understand, because Flint's relationship with Claus was strained at best, but even so, his youngest son would've been waiting with a reasonable explanation.

On the other hand, Flint  _had_  heard some strange rumors of students going missing from the local highschool, but there was no way his sons could ever fall victim to those kidnappings. They were smart enough to arrive home before dusk.

Uneasily, Flint glanced at the clock again.

Just as he reached that conclusion, he jumped when a series of rapping sounds hit the front door. Heaving a sigh, Flint donned his dull brown boots and stowed away his worries. It must be his sons; he was sure of it. They must've forgotten their keys at home.

After all, who else would stop by at such a late hour?

"Onett Police. Open up!"

With a stunned jolt, Flint wrenched open the door. Immediately, he came face to face with two pairs of gleaming badges and blue uniforms. The officer with the pointed beard looked up at him indifferently, then consulted his notepad. "Are you... Mister Flint?"

Confused, he nodded.

"Husband to the deceased Hinawa and father to the twins, Claus and Lucas?"

"Yes." Flint hesitated. That strange feeling of dread crept back up his spine. "...Is something wrong, officers?"

The two officers exchanged a brief look of solemnity before turning their attention to him. "There was an incident."

_An incident._

"Where at?"

"The local school."

_No._

"There was another kidnapping..."

_No, it couldn't be true!_

"...and your sons are two of the missing."

Flint's breath hitched in his throat.

Stumbling backwards as though struck, Flint stared at the officers, who said nothing to contradict their statement. His knees weakened and threatened to buckle, so Flint held his head in his hands and sank into the nearby couch. First denial seized him, before devolving into panic.

Please...  _Please_  let it be some cruel joke...

The officer with the pointed beard softened his gaze. "I'm sorry, sir," he said quietly, resting a consoling hand on his shoulder. But Flint didn't notice, already lost in his downward spiral of emotions.

_My sons are missing._

This was a father's worst nightmare.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

Lucas awoke with a startled gasp.

His heart hammering quickly in his ribcage, Lucas lay against the cool ground, trying to calm his own breathing. As seconds ticked past, Lucas slowly felt his initial panic fade and ebb into the peaceful night. Climbing back into his makeshift bed, he was relieved to note that Ness and Ninten were out cold, dozing soundly atop their own beds of pine needles.

 **1:21 AM** , Ness's glowing watch read from the side.

Behind him, he registered Claus's low breathing. Quietly, Lucas scooted over to him, drinking in his brother's warmth.

Claus was alive. There was no need for Lucas to worry.

Shuddering, Lucas hugged himself, trying to blink the horrible nightmare from his eyes. He couldn't forget the image of his brother being impaled through the chest over... and over... and over. The dream was branded to his eyelids. Lucas was scared to sleep. Resigning himself to another day of insomnia, Lucas watched droplets of moisture form on the rocky cave ceiling.

"Lucas...?" Claus groggily stirred in his stack of leaves, blinking the sleep from his eyes. He yawned and stretched his lanky arms out like a cat. "Why are you up so early?"

Lucas thought that it was both a blessing and a curse that Claus was a sensitive sleeper. For one, Lucas slept like a dead rock. If it weren't for his early-rising brother, he would've missed the alarm all the time. On the other hand, Claus woke easily from any disturbance. At even the slightest  _peep_ , Claus would've leaped out of bed, wide-awake and ready to go.

"Sorry," Lucas murmured, guilty. He shifted away. "Didn't mean to wake you."

Claus waved his worries away. "You didn't wake me. I was still trying to sleep." Claus yawned again. "What's wrong?"

"...I think the floor's too cold," Lucas said lamely, averting his eyes. He winced as another pang of guilt flashed through his mind.

Claus saw through his facade in a heartbeat. "Dude," he murmured, patting the ground next to him. "If it's another nightmare, I won't judge-"

Lucas's cheeks burned. "No, it's not," he said quietly. He hadn't talked to his brother about this particular nightmare yet, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell Claus now. Declining the offered space, Lucas crawled over to the other side of the cave, pushed his bundle of pine needles a good distance away, and flopped back down. "The air's a lot warmer at this end," Lucas lied. "I'm fine, Claus. Go to sleep."

Claus rolled his eyes at his brother's back. " _I'm fine, Claus_. Seriously? Lucas, you can get as stubborn as hell."

 _I want to be brave like you. I want to be strong like you,_ Lucas wanted to say.  _I don't want you to worry about me. I'm just a dead weight, and I'm not worth the trouble._ But how was he supposed to say that out loud? Lucas felt utterly useless, but if he admitted it, Claus would only vehemently shoot the comment back down.

So Lucas said nothing, and Claus remained silent. Thinking that his twin brother had finally given up his interrogation, Lucas closed his eyes, hoping for sweeter dreams.

But suddenly, Lucas felt a pair of arms tightly clamp around his chest. Something wet dampened the back of his shirt.

Wide-eyed in surprise, Lucas froze up. "Claus?"

For several seconds, there was only the sound of heavy breathing. Then after a moment of hesitation, Claus gave a shaky breath. "Lucas, you have no idea... when Giygas cornered us today, I-" he suddenly cut himself off.

"...Claus? Are you okay?" Lucas whispered, rolling over. For a second, Claus looked scared - even  _frightened -_  but Lucas must've been imagining things, because almost immediately, Claus's mask flitted back into place.

"You're right. The air  _is_  a lot warmer here," Claus said abruptly, turning over on his side. "G'Night, Lucas."

For some reason, Lucas felt his heart grow heavier. "Good night, Claus," he whispered, and sank back under turbulent dreams.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And code time.
> 
> Remember this nice code from Chapter 11?
> 
> Command Input: 16111215225
> 
> For[161515, 1141;
> 
> 10, 16:00]
> 
> Command Input: 16111215225
> 
> For[1461919;
> 
> 108, 14:30]
> 
> It was nothing really serious, but just something I wanted to try out. So the answer: The "Colonated" numbers represent times. So for example, 16:00 = 4:00 PM. Substitute the other numbers with letters, where 1= A, 2 = B, and so on. Therefore, you would get the following data:
> 
> Command Input: PKLOVE
> 
> For[Poo, Ana;
> 
> T, 4:00 PM]
> 
> Command Input: PKLOVE
> 
> For[Ness;
> 
> Th, 2:30 PM]


	14. Bein' Friends

A golden envelope sat on the windowsill.

Soft music filtered from his phone like a comforting pillow. Sprawled over his bed, Lucas watched the ceiling fan turn once, twice... thirty-three times. But as much as he tried, the envelope drew in his eyes like a magnet.

Conflicted, Lucas did his best to drink in the music and escape from reality.

With about a week of summer break left before the start of high school, Lucas and Claus had headed over to the local super to buy "Back-to-School" supplies: A normal day with normal intentions. Needless to say, after lugging over bags of college-ruled paper and number 2 pencils, Lucas was taken aback by his brother's sudden appearance at the foot of the stairs.

"This is for you," Claus called up, waving a strange envelope stamped with a prestigious seal in his hand. "It's from the Mayor of Summers."

"The Mayor of  _Summers?"_

"That's what I said."

"Huh." Lucas dumbly reached for the golden envelope, staring at the pretentious red seal and ornate ink lettering as if it were a joke. "...Are you sure this is real?"

"I thought the letter was fake too, but the seal's genuine." Claus nudged him in the shoulder. "Go on. Open it so we can read what it says!"

Lucas slit the envelope with a penknife before dragging out the crisp-letterheaded paper. Over his brother's shoulder, Claus read the tiny words printed neatly on the letter with a frown. Their awe and astonishment only grew as their eyes traveled farther down the elegant scroll of penmanship.

_To a Mister Lucas,_

_Last April, I attended your national rendition of **Nella Fantasia**  for the Eagleland President. Your interpretation of opera highly impressed me, and thus, s_ _peaking not as a Mayor but rather, as a passionate connoisseur of the vocal arts, I find myself writing to you with a humble request for a first debut._ _As a proud, long-standing fan of the DCMC, I'm recognized you as the student under Lucky's mentorship, and after meeting with DCMC's booking agent, became further informed of your_ _vocal accomplishments._

_Although internal affairs currently keep me busy, I'd be honored if you can provide a solo rendition of **Nella Fantasia**  during the International Summers Music Festival in June next year. Your air fare and accommodations will be paid for, and generous financial aid will be offered to any guests of your choosing. This includes your family and friends. As you know very well, DCMC has always been invited annually to perform at the festival, and we welcome you both with open arms._

_If you wish to attend,_ _mail me your response by the **31st of December.**_ _More details will be sent to you by my personal secretary._

 _Eagerly awaiting your response,  
_ _The Mayor of Summers_

"Holy crap, Lucas. This is an amazing opportunity. People would  _kill_  to have a chance like this," Claus breathed.

"Oh. Wow." Lucas glanced at the golden envelope with obviously less enthusiasm. "That sounds... great."

Catching the change in tone, Claus creased his eyebrows into a frown. "What's wrong?"

Lucas looked up from the letter clutched in his hands. "The Summer's festival is gonna be held next June."

"So?"

"You won't be there," Lucas said quietly. "You're leaving for your National Biomedical Engineering Program in May, and you won't be back until mid-July."

Claus's face fell. "Oh... I forgot."

"And I don't know if I'm up for this, Claus... it's an  _international_  concert-"

"Fuck that, you've given a national performance before-"

 _"One_  time, only out of sheer luck, and in a chorus with other singers-"

"-and you sang a couple of opening acts for DCMC. Duster wouldn't have recommended you if he didn't think you were up for the job."

"They needed a performance to fill up the extra time. Duster spent weeks trying to persuade their manager to squeeze me in-"

"-not my point. Stop selling yourself short." Claus set an encouraging hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey. It's okay. DCMC performs at the Summer's International festival every year. I bet Duster's going too."

"I don't think so. At least, not this year." Lucas swallowed hard. "His limp acted up again, so his doctor advised him not to travel around a year."

It was a tough decision.

On one hand, Lucas absolutely  _loved_  to sing. Duster had also told him many exciting tales about Summers, and while Lucas had never been to Country of Chommo before, he found travelling to new countries a thrilling prospect.

On the other hand, if Lucas accepted the Mayor's offer, he'd not only be preparing himself for another concert, but also be attending it by himself.

For the first time, Lucas would be truly alone.

It was a problem. Lucas had trouble with crippling stage fright, and barely managed to scrape by because of Claus or Duster. They'd always been present at his opening act performances, throwing him moral support from the front row. Even  _thinking_  about the many pairs of judgemental eyes in the crowd made his heart flutter in panic, and Lucas gripped the letter tighter in his fist.

He couldn't do this.

He wasn't ready for his first debut.

"What should I do?" Lucas panicked. "What do  _you_  think I should do?"

Claus opened his mouth, then closed it with a shrug. "It's your choice, not mine. Do what you wanna do."

"But-"

"No buts. I'm not telling you what to do," Claus said, narrowing his eyes. "The last time you promised, you ended up doing exactly what I said. I'm staying out of this one."

"I swear I won't this time!" Lucas clutched at his head, feeling himself spiral into another panic attack. "I don't know if I can can do this alone, Claus, please, you've got to help me, you can't leave me alone again-"

Torn, Claus bit his lip. "Well... I could turn down my acceptance to the summer program. I mean, I can always reapply next year-"

"No."

"Lucas, I can't be in two places at once. You know that-"

"-and you shouldn't give up your spot," Lucas repeated stubbornly. He knew how competitive the summer program was. Claus had been dying to attend it since sixth grade. To take that opportunity away from Claus was not only selfish, but also undoubtedly cruel.

Claus sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "I don't see why this is so difficult, Lucas. You either go, or you don't. It's as simple as that."

Lucas shifted his eyes to the ground. "...I wish I were brave like you," he said quietly.

Claus's eyes softened. He plopped onto the stairs, sidling next to his brother. "Lucas, don't be afraid to do what you wanna do," he said gently. "Forget worrying about me or about anybody else. This time, I want you to worry about yourself."

"Claus-"

"You know I won't mind what you choose, so choose what  _you_  want, all right? And if you still wanna ask me... I just want you to be happy. So choose what'll make you  _happiest._  You're braver than you think you are. I know that you'll make the right choice in the end."

So time ticked by. Lucas started his first year of high school. The rays of Summer gave into the cool crispness of Autumn. Week after week passed, yet the golden envelope lay neglected on the windowsill.

**_I know that you'll make the right choice in the end._ **

But what was the right choice?

Lucas still didn't know.

* * *

.

.

.

_**~ARC II: BEIN' FRIENDS~** _

~ _ **Chapter Fourteen**_ ~

.

.

.

* * *

Lucas's eyes fluttered open to soft, distant music.

The cave was cold and empty. Claus was missing, and another glance proved that Lucas was alone. Yet, Lucas wasn't alarmed; he sensed somebody else close by, and a simple mental scan proved his suspicions.

Stifling a yawn, Lucas stumbled outside, squinting as sunlight streamed into his eyes. Bleary-eyed and half-awake, he managed to make out a large boulder silhouetted against the sun.

A figure sat at the very top, fiddling with something in his fingers. The cheerful tooting of a wind instrument hit Lucas's ears.

Then a discordant note shattered the smooth melody.

"Aw, darn," Ninten swore. He threw his ocarina a small glare. "Sure, let the asthmatic person play a wind instrument. 'It'll be fun,' my parents said. Ha!" Ninten whirled around with a wide grin. "Tell me, Lucas. Amiright?"

Lucas rubbed his eyes. "Hmmr."

How Ninten was so quirky all the time, Lucas hadn't the foggiest idea. The Podunk teen was happy-go-lucky in the same way that Ness was serious and down-to-earth. His light-hearted optimism also contrasted with Claus's heavy skepticism; it didn't take a genius to figure out why the two of them squabbled every day.

Lucas supposed it made sense. It was well-flaunted that Ninten lived a relatively sheltered life.

At least, before he'd realized Giygas was his uncle.

Giygas's reveal had hit all of them all hard. Even now, Lucas remembered how easily Giygas had blackmailed his brother by using him as bait, and shame twisted his stomach into a knot. Claus was probably wrestling with his own internal demons, and Lucas couldn't imagine what Ninten was going through himself.

Lucas let his eyes drift around, and Ninten caught the silent question. "The others are out refilling water bottles. They'll be back soon." Ninten began tooting out another song that sounded suspiciously like  _Yankee Doodle_.

Appreciating the music, Lucas closed his eyes to drank in the sweet tune with a smile. "You play nice."

Cocky and full of himself, Ninten threw him a classic vampire grin in return. "Thanks! My parents sicced the ocarina on me in sixth grade, but I think I'm warming up to it. Maybe a  _little."_  His eyes brightened up with a hint of curiosity. "Claus says that you can sing well. Like, really, really well."

Lucas gave a shrug.

"Don't give me that. You performed Nella Fantasia last Spring. I heard that it was aired live on television. Apparently, you're an opera prodigy."

"It wasn't that big of a deal," Lucas said modestly. "Claus tends to over-exaggerate my accomplishments-"

"Nah. He's a tough customer to impress, and you know that better than anybody. That git's your  _brother_. Hey, that gives me an idea-" Ninten bolted upright. "If you sing, I'll play along with my ocarina. We should totally do a duet!"

"R-Right now?" Lucas stammered, suddenly feeling hot.

"No, next year. Duh Lucas, I meant now." Ninten's vampire grin widened. "Why not?"

"I'm-" Lucas said in a frantic attempt to change his friend's mind. "Aren't Ness and Claus returning soon? We'd better start packing-"

"They left for the spring like a minute ago. We have plenty of time."

When Lucas still looked uncertain, Ninten put his persuasion skills to the test. "Come on, please? You can hear me play  _this_  baby again..." he wheedled, noticing the quiet spark of interest in his friend's eyes at his ocarina. It was no secret - Lucas couldn't resist good music.

And indeed Ninten knew him well. Despite his trepidation, Lucas  _did_  want to hear the ocarina again. It produced a rather quaint, yet charming sound.

"...a simple duet sounds nice," Lucas finally said, giving into the suggestion.

"Hah, thought so. Hmm... now we need choose a song that we both know-" Ninten rubbed his head, muttering several names under his breath, then perked up at a sudden thought. "How about  _Pollyanna_?"

Nervous, Lucas nodded in response.

"Composed by Catherine Warwick?"

"Sounds good."

"Welp, here goes nothing! Don't screw up on me too many times, will ya?" he joked, throwing Lucas a sly look when the latter still looked apprehensive. "I might be amazing, but I'm still a poor asthmatic soul."

His teasing managed to invoke a small smile from Lucas. "You, a poor asthmatic soul?"

Ninten winked. "Yeah, who else? Now stop the jabs, I'm about to start."

Tapping his feet to an imaginary rhythm, Ninten began to puff out the beginning notes. The smooth glassy ocarina in his hands reflected against the sun's rays in a glowing halo of light, and as Ninten approached the opening lyrics, he noted Lucas's still stiff posture.

 _Did_ _I push him too hard?_ Ninten considered the option of stopping right there and then, but upon catching the sudden spark in Lucas's eyes, declined the notion.

He was glad that he did.

Nothing could've prepared Ninten for the masterpiece of heart-wrenching emotion. As soon as the starting tune escaped from Lucas's lips, the notes had erased any shred of doubt from Ninten's mind. Seriously, his eyes must've been lying to him, because there was  _no way_  that this boy next to him was the same shy blond who would fluster over an untied shoelace.

But Ninten's eyes weren't deceiving him. Lucas had started singing - not murmuring quietly or humming under his breath, but  _singing -_  for real. A thousand emotions danced across Lucas's sky-blue eyes as the clear, sharp tune burst from his mouth, and the soft, sweet melody quavered into the cold, misty air.

 _No wonder people say he's a singing prodigy,_ Ninten thought, wide-eyed. He'd heard of Lucas's extraordinary prowess through Claus's proud boasting ( _much to Lucas's own chagrin_ ), but Ninten had never witnessed the twin's performance first-hand. He didn't want to sound cliche, but in all honestly,  _it was pretty damn good._

No, it wasn't just good.

Magical.

**_Unearthly._ **

He couldn't tell if it was because of the way Lucas's voice floated effortlessly into the air, or because of the oddly misty expression in his blue eyes, but when Ninten blinked, a strange feeling clogged his throat.

Then Lucas faltered, throwing him a hesitant look, and Ninten realized that his mouth had been agape this entire time. Hastily whipping out his trusty ocarina in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, Ninten placed the glassy instrument to his lips. Within seconds, the musical piping layered the soft lyrics in unforgettable harmony. The hopeful melody washed over them, flowing and retracting like an ocean seemed to stretch, and the song banished all of their worries, even if only for that one moment of peace.

Gone was the guilt, gone was the pain.

All that mattered now was neither the past nor the future, but the  _present_ , and that they were just two normal boys making sweet music outside on an ordinary Friday morning.

But even all good things had to come to an end. As the magical wisps of sound died, the final, everlasting note shivered in mid-air before fading into the rising dawn. There was an appreciative pause as both of them reveled in the last echoes of the disappearing song, then there was nothing but blissful silence.

Ninten threw Lucas a skeptical glance. " _It's not a big deal_?" he repeated, echoing Lucas's previous words.

Maybe it was just the funny way Ninten was waggling his eyebrows, but Lucas struggled to bite back a laugh. Lucas's own expression caused Ninten to emit an obnoxiously loud snort - then both of them were doubling over in uncontrollable laughter underneath the rising sun.

"Why are we laughing?" Lucas gasped before he was caught by another onslaught of giggles.

Ninten wiped a tear from his eye. "Y- You looked at me all funny," he exclaimed.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"That's only because you snorted!"

"No, I didn't," Ninten wailed, flailing his arms wildly into the air like a drowning fish. "Stop laughing!" he snapped, but he only ended up making Lucas laugh harder. Sulking now, Ninten broke into a childish pout. "And I thought  _Claus_  was the bad influence."

"I'll be sure to tell him that," Lucas noted with a grin.

Knowing that Lucas wasn't serious, Ninten rolled his eyes. "Won't make a difference anyways. Claus already hates my guts-" Ninten clapped Lucas on the back with a bright smile. "Seriously, we make an awesome duet. We should do this more often."

"Definitely," Lucas marveled, studying the strange ocarina with interested eyes. Music had dissolved his shy shell. "Your ocarina sounds amazing-"

"Oh, this baby? It's been in my family for a long time. Family heirloom or something." Ninten patted his ocarina carefully back into his pocket. "It's kind of wonky-looking, but it's not too hard to play... but enough about that. Let's talk about that pro-level singing. How did you learn to sing like that?" Ninten whined, and Lucas froze at the harmless question.

**_How did you learn to sing like that?_ **

A cold feeling tingled down Lucas's spine.

Lucas couldn't forget how much his mother had loved music. Even in his earliest childhood memories, Hinawa was there, teaching him how to sing. As though it had happened only yesterday, her music lessons still stayed fresh in his mind.

 _Hinawa hummed the lyrics to You are My Sunshine, and following their mother's cue, the twins proudly chirped along._ _As soon as they finished, Claus punched a fist into the air._

_"See, I told you we could sing the Sunshine song!"_

_Lucas looked down. "I got a word wrong..."_

_Laughing now, Claus poked him in the side. "Haha! Lucas got a word wrong-"_

_"It was just **one**  word," Lucas said defensively, feeling his cheeks flush._

_"So? You still got it wrong!"_

_Lucas felt his eyes water. "...But-"_

_"Claus," Hinawa said sternly._

_At the rebuke, Claus sulked._ _"Sorry," he muttered, shuffling his feet to the side._

 _Ashamed, Lucas lowered his eyes. "_ __I didn't mean to make a mistake..._ I'm sorry I ruined the song."_

_With a smile, Hinawa dragged him into a hug. "You didn't ruin the song. Lucas, I'm so proud of you," she said, rubbing his back in satisfied circles. "Music is the language of Love, and you're blessed to have a wonderful voice. Remember, there's only one Lucas in the world. Never forget that."_

_Then Claus had vied for her attention, pouting that he could sing just as well._

Lucas stifled a laugh. Claus had never gotten sick of singing the "Sunshine song."

But then _it_ had happened.

Lucas felt his stomach give a sick jolt, remembering the aftereffects of Hinawa's death. Despair and depression had sunk into the household, rotting and simmering in a putrid concoction of grief. What had once filled his ears with vibrant lyrics and warm song had now been replaced by cold, dead silence.

Full of anger and bitterness towards the world, Claus had shunned music. Lucas painfully watched as his older brother tightly closed the doors to his now-frigid heart. Countless times afterwards, Lucas had begged and pleaded -  _please, Claus, can we sing the Sunshine song together, please just this once -_ but Claus had always refused.

 _For the last time, I said no, Lucas!_  Claus had snapped with puffy, red-rimmed eyes.  _It just doesn't sound the same anymore... Not without mom._

Claus never sang the Sunshine song again.

But Lucas had stubbornly refused to give up singing, for singing was a reminder of his dead mother that he could keep alive. So he persisted, staying up late at night to memorize songs by heart, obsessively listening to the radio in the morning, and pouring through countless tutorial after tutorial. Music quickly became his solace, and singing was how Lucas expressed the emotions he pent up in his heart.

Then one fateful day, his elementary choir teacher had miraculously caught him singing quietly in the boy's bathroom, and the astonished woman had immediately referred him to a former student. While polite and considerate, the former student - who had been struggling as a professional bassist at the time - had doubted her claims that Lucas was a singing prodigy.

But one sample performance had quickly convinced him otherwise.

 _"Lucas, right? I'm sorry I doubted you,"_ _the teenage Duster said softly, watching_ _Lucas curiously as if recognizing him as an old family friend. "How did you learn to sing like that?"_

_"My mom taught me," Lucas whispered shyly, scuffing his shoe on the tiled floor._

_"Did you have any prior tutoring?" Duster blinked, astonished when Lucas had shaken his head. "Your vocal range is really impressive at your age. That versatility definitely opens up a lot of doors."_

_Lucas flushed and stared down at his shoes. "I was lucky, mister," he said quietly._

_Duster chuckled as if enjoying a private joke. "So am I. Call me Duster, kid." Rubbing his lame leg, Duster threw him a sheepish look. "Well uh, Lucas... My band is still kinda new. I dunno if rock and roll's your thing, but I'll be happy to give you private tutoring. I can't sing, but me and the guys know a thing or two about music. We'll see if our manager can pull some strings. Give you some connections to hone your talent. How about that?"_

Lucas had accepted Duster's offer without hesitation.

Ever since, Duster had taken him under his wing. Every week, Lucas would practice a song he had prepared beforehand. Occasionally dragging in a professional tutor for their music lessons, Duster would listen in, quietly adding in his feedback at the very end of his performances. Together, they thoroughly studied all kinds of genres from modern pop to classic rock, and after intense, rigorous hours of training, Lucas discovered an interest in classical opera.

Duster had taken him around the world in various DCMC concerts, and he - _not Flint_  - had traveled to all of Lucas's solo performances. Just the presence of Duster alleviated Lucas's stage fright, if only by a little. Despite acting as a mentor or chaperone though, Duster was someone Lucas could rely on, a special surrogate uncle.

And Duster had been there for him, especially when Claus had...

When Claus had...

...

Lucas's stomach clenched at the horrible memory.  _The past is the past. I have to move on._

"Um, Lucas?"

Lucas blinked. "Huh?"

Ninten waved a hand in front of his face. "Dude, you were zoning out," he joked, but his quirky tone failed to mask his worried expression.

"Sorry," Lucas said, flashing him a warm smile and sitting up. "I was just thinking about-"

Both of them jumped at a sudden crunch of shoes sliding over shale. A pair of rising voices quickly grabbed their attention.

"- _no one cares, Ness-_ "

" _Listen, I'm saying that we had to boil the water for ten min-_ "

" _Is that what they taught you at boyscout camp too? To be an insufferable show off-?"_

A disgruntled Claus had barged through the trees, followed by a frustrated Ness. Neither of them looked very happy.

Lucas faltered, noting their flushed faces and troubled expressions. "Is something wrong?"

Fuming, Ness opened his mouth, but Claus rudely cut across him. "It's nothing." However, upon catching his brother's worried look, Claus wiped the frown off his face. "...We're back," Claus said unnecessarily, dropping an armful of filled water bottles onto the ground. He began stuffing them into Ness's bag. "A little help here, Lucas?"

Startled, Lucas jumped up. "Right," Lucas said, throwing Ninten an apologetic glance before hurrying over to help his brother. Before Ninten could ask what was wrong, a scowling Ness had marched over to him with a map in one hand, drawing an end to any idle chatter.

Once again, a heavy burden had settled over their heads, and Ninten grimly took in Ness's discussion with uncharacteristic seriousness. The fleeting reprieve of light-heartedness and laughter was over.

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~oO0Oo~

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What was supposed to be two and a half days of hitch-hiking turned into an endless, twisted nightmare.

The putrid humidity suffocated their mouths and noses, but the uncomfortably warm weather was the least of their worries. Scraping scales slithered and eerie moans echoed through the mist. Something big gave a loud, distorted  _caw_  in the distance, and the alien screech sent a shiver down their spines.

In their haste to reach Giygas, all of them had forgotten why the wilderness had been classified " _ **out-of-bounds**_." After the corrupted Pig-mask reign had collapsed some 150 years ago, their mutated chimaeras had all but escaped into the surrounding environment. At first, no one had been worried; as freakish, maladapted mutations of nature, it seemed logical to conclude that the chimaeras would die off easily.

But instead, the chimaeras had thrived, reproducing at an alarming rate with the already-dangerous native animals and plants. The city had initially tried to eradicate all the chimaeras, but soon ceased their operations when each one ended in tragic failure. As if sensing danger, the chimaeras warily shied away from the city, feeling more at home in the deep heart of the mountain range. This meant that anyone sane avoided the wilderness unless they had a good reason not to, and of the many bumbling idiots who had foolishly ventured in unprepared, none had returned alive.

While the boys hadn't received any major injuries, it was only a matter of time before someone did. They were beginning to bump into some of the more dangerous inhabitants of the area. Ness had almost been mushroomized, and Claus had nearly stepped on a passing slitherhen. Still, except for the odd cattlesnake or two, nothing had purposely gone out of its way to attack them.

Their luck ran out on Day Three.

"Is it gone?" Ness whispered, tensing as he gripped his baseball bat. His three companions huddled around him behind a ring of shrubs.

Ninten closed his eyes for a few seconds, then shook his head. "I can't tell. It's prowling just out of my telepathic range."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Claus said loudly before he was hastily bombarded by the collective  **' _SHH!_ '** on all sides. Rolling his eyes, Claus switched to telepathy.  _So remind me. Why_ _are we hiding?_

 _Because we have no idea where the mecha-lion is,_ Lucas said, peering through the fronds of the fern.  _If Ninten hadn't read its mind, we wouldn't have known that its tail was poisonous_.

Claus looked outraged.  _That thing's already nicked most of our food! What more does it want?_

 _I think it just wants to eat us,_ Ninten suggested helpfully. A hint of amusement seeped into his thoughts.  _Come to think of it, that lion scarfed down all of our ginger-flavored jerky. Careful, Claus, it might be after you next._

_Haha. Very funny, Ninten._

_Hey, what can I say?_   _I'm a natural comedian-_

 _Guys, talk later. I don't wanna be next on the menu,_ Ness interrupted. Digging into his bag, he shoved an object into Ninten's surprised hands.  _That chimaera snapped your stick. Take this._

Ninten blanched.  _Can't you give me anything else?_

_I have my yo-yo._

With a regretful sigh, Ninten took the offered "weapon."  _I wish I brought my slingshot._

 _Classy,_  Claus said.

 _Shut it, gingersnaps,_ Ninten gripped the handle of his frying pan.  _Don't diss the glory of such a pan-tastic weapon._

_No, Ninten. Just no._

On the contrary, Ninten opened his mouth to say another pun, but this time, was cut to the chase by someone else.

 _...Why do I get the feeling that we're being watched?_  Lucas interrupted.

 _What?_  Ninten concentrated his telepathy outwards.  _Relax, Lucas. There's nothing near_ _-_ Ninten retracted his mind in alarm. 

**_Clang!_ **

"hOLY MOTHER OF EVERYTHING SACRED-!" Ninten yelped as sharpened claws slashed in his direction and rebounded noisily off his frying pan. The Mecha-lion prowled in, and eyed him with hungry eyes.

Ninten's eyes shot open to the size of dinner plates. He didn't need to read its mind to know that he was dinner. "Guys... some help please?" he squeaked.

"Over here, ugly!" Ness yelled, pulling back his bat.

**_SMAAAASH!_ **

_"GRAUUGH!"_

"You made it angrier," Lucas cried, watching the predator thrash and yowl in pain.

Looking like he had run out of all fucks to give, Claus swiped his finger through the air, charging up to cast a spell. "Fuck this,  _PK Thun-"_

 _"NO,"_  Ness barked, now parrying away the chimaera's poisonous tail. "We're too close to Giygas's lab!"

"Who cares?"

"Do you  _want_  to attract Starmen?"

"Face it, Ness," Claus snarled, rolling under another vicious swipe of claws. The serrated daggers whistled past his ear. "You said that we can use our magic under  _life-threatening situations._  If this isn't life-threatening, then what is?"

Glowering at them through its fizzling eye sockets, the Mecha-lion opened its blue maw wide in a yawn. The only warning anyone got was a flash of red amidst the shining white teeth before-

 _"DUCK!"_  Ness shrieked.

A giant fireball the size of a basketball rocketed over their heads with a screaming  **s** _ **wwweeeeee!**  _As the molten projectile flew past, Claus could feel the heat of the giant fireball sear his bare skin, nicely crisping up the hairs of his underarms.

Looking less than pleased that it hadn't barbequed anyone, the Mecha-lion fell onto its haunches with a shriek before leaping over their heads.

The word  _leap_  didn't do the Mecha-lion justice. The Mecha-lion practically  _soared_ through the air before landing right behind its startled victim.

 _"Look out!"_  Lucas screamed.

Ness didn't think twice. He dropped to the ground just as the mecha-lion snaked forward and snapped its jaws together, its maw clamping around Ness's bag. As the mecha-lion shook its head, the straps of his backpack cut into Ness's shoulders, lifting him up into the air. Shouting and struggling to extricate himself from its grip, Ness shuddered when the lion's hot stinging breath hit his exposed neck-

_**CLANG!** _

"Pick on someone your own size, you mangy piece of fur," Ninten bellowed, this time striking the lion upside the head with the frying pan.

This sudden jolt managed to shake Ness free, tumbling onto the ground. Emitting a bloodcurdling howl of pain, the mecha-lion retreated, bounding away into the forest with Ness's bag stuck in its teeth.

Spitting out dirt, Ness leaped to his feet. "Hey,  _GIVE BACK MY BAG!_ " he screamed, chasing after it in hot pursuit.

"Wait, Ness-!"

"I'm not letting it get away after it gave us all that crap," Claus snarled, sprinting after the mecha-lion.

"Hang on, we shouldn't spli-" Lucas started yet again, but the two boys had already disappeared into the thick foliage.

Lucas and Ninten shared an uneasy look.

"They're idiots. Let's knock some sense into them before they do something stupid," Ninten groaned. With the obvious having been said, Ninten rushed after them with another yell of  ** _"Guys, wait up!"_**

His feet pounding through the scattered greenery, Lucas could barely spot Ninten's sneakers in front of his vision. Trees weaved in and out of his eyes, branches scratched at his face. Gasping and panting for breath, Lucas skidded to a stop at a forked pathway. Ninten's striped shirt disappeared to his left, and just as Lucas tried to follow, a strange noise caught his attention.

" **ᗪᗩKOTᗩ.** "

Lucas stumbled to a halt.

That didn't sound like a mecha-lion.

"Who's there?" Lucas said, now wary. Gripping his stick like a neanderthal club, he shuffled towards the right fork-

-and his shoe slipped on a wet patch of moss.

Without the slightest hint of a warning, Lucas yelped, tumbling down the slippery slope at a dizzying speed. In an act of desperation, he jabbed out his legs against the rocky wall-

His foot caught on a stray crevice.

Lucas lurched forward, feeling his body jerk to a sudden halt from momentum. When he deemed it safe to move, Lucas crawled upright with a grimace, then gave a sharp hiss when an unexpected pain stabbed through his ankle. He collapsed into a crouch, poking the wound in dismay when it confirmed his suspicions.

The fall had twisted his ankle.

After berating himself for his own carelessness, Lucas raised his head, studying his surroundings. The first thing that caught his eye was a gnarly apple tree which stuck out at an odd angle like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Its thick roots embedded themselves deeply into the cliff-side; the heavy weight of fruit forced its branches to sway precariously over open air.

And then Lucas realized that he was only inches away from a treacherous drop-off.

Horrified, Lucas pushed himself away with his hands, scooting backwards to safety. His breath caught in his throat as he watched a dislodged pebble clatter off the edge and plummet into deep chasm.  _I could've fallen to my death..._

" **ᕼᕮᒪᑭ?** "

Lucas whirled around. There it was again. That strange, alien voice.

"Hello?" Lucas started, eyes flitting around for the source of the mysterious voice.

There was a pause, then the muffled voice called out again. " **ᗩᗰ ᔕTᑌᑕK.** "

The voice was coming from inside the apple tree.

Bewildered  _(Because trees couldn't talk... or can they? Magic made anything questionable_ ), Lucas made his way over to the tree trunk, careful not to strain his already-twisted ankle. Peering through the branches, he squinted upwards through the leaves in search of the mysterious voice. A sudden flicker of motion caught his eye, and he blinked, finally spotting  _It._

And what a strange creature  _It_  was too.  _It_  had rather short, stubby legs and a comically large nose half the size of its own body. The strange creature wiggled in vain within the twisted maze of brambles.

Upon seeing him, the creature happily kicked its stubby feet. " **ᖴOᑌᑎᗪ ᗰᕮ, ᗪIᑎG!** "

Swinging back and forth, the weather-beaten tree groaned in protest. 

Its roots were going to give way at any second.

 _It_  glanced up at Lucas in a pitiful plea. " **ᕼᕮᒪᑭ ᗰᕮ? Yᕮᔕ? ᑎO? ᗰᗩYᗷᕮ ᔕO?** "

Torn, Lucas bit the bottom of his lip as he weighed his chances. When he couldn't make up his mind, the panic soon settled in, clawing at his insides, and Lucas tentatively placed a hand on the distorted bark.

_What should I do?_

_...What would **Claus** do?_

Lucas already knew the answer to that question.

He took a deep breath. Testing the tree trunk with his weight, which surprisingly held firm, Lucas carefully placed his uninjured foot onto a ledge.

Adults easily described Lucas as "thoughtful" and "cautious." His careful personality contrasted heavily with Claus's reckless tendency to dive into everything head-first, and along with Ness's fiery passion for crazy plans and Ninten's random bouts of goofing off, it was rather fortunate that Lucas was the divine "Voice of Reason."

But Lucas felt neither "thoughtful" nor "cautious" as he dangled like a shaking leaf off the side of the cliff. His hands tightly gripping a groaning branch in dear life, Lucas could only ( _fervently_ ) hope that the branch would hold steady under his weight. Several times, his ankle throbbed and seared painfully, forcing him to pause for an agonizing amount of time before Lucas gritted his teeth and crawled forward. 

Then he made a fatal mistake that nearly cost him his balance.

Lucas looked down.

Empty air engulfed his vision. 

Almost  _hugging_  his branch tightly like he never wanted to let go, Lucas felt his breath hitch in his throat. Now aware of the wind blowing against his favor, he scrunched his eyes shut as the tree groaned and swayed in nauseating circles. Desperate now, Lucas's fingers scrabbled around, almost clawing for the next ledge, and the dry bark peeled off in his fingernails in agitated flakes.

 _Breathe._ _Don't look down._ _You're not going to fall._

_Probably._

_...Claus would kill me if I fell like an idiot._

Suddenly, Lucas pictured what his twin brother might say. Most likely something along the lines of  _w_ _hat the hell are you doing lucas get down from that tree_  or  _FUCK FUCK SHIT LUCAS, DONT PANIC OKAY?_ _STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU!_

Clapping a hand over his mouth to stifle his hysterical giggles, Lucas was forced to lean over with a groan. "Calm down, Claus," he muttered under his breath, slowly regaining his teetering balance. "I've got this."

Instilled with renewed courage, Lucas took another deep breath, then crawled forward at a steady pace. When the bough of the tree vibrated under his shifting weight, Lucas paused at a split between two branches.

To go any farther was to risk certain death.

Luckily,  _It_  was within arm's reach. Lucas's fingers inched forward along the trembling bark. If Lucas reached out... just a little closer...!

The branch underneath him erupted with an ominous  ** _crack._**   _It_  nervously swung back and forth.

**"ᕼᕮY-YO, KᗩY-ᑎO!"**

Lucas frantically swiped his fingers around, but another wayward breeze swung  _It_  just out of reach. The branch cracked again - a deep, ringing sound - and Lucas knew that the branch couldn't support his weight any longer. Gritting his teeth in frustration, Lucas lunged forward and nabbed  _It_  by the bowtie just as the branch broke free.

As if his life depended on it, Lucas threw himself against gravity, twisting himself out of the scratchy brambles. He didn't care if they tore grooves into his shirt or stung his cheeks; all Lucas knew was that he had to reach, _reach for the edge-_

With an explosive gasp, Lucas yanked himself free of the last few twigs clawing through his hair. He collapsed on his numb feet, and watched in fascinated horror as several thick limbs groaned and uprooted the last of the stump into the dark abyss. Within seconds, the deep gorge had swallowed up any sign of its existence.

Wow.

Lucas had cheated death  _again._

Squirming about,  _It_  wiggled in his arms. Jerking back to the present, Lucas lowered his hands, setting  _It_  down onto the soft soil.

 _It_  looked up at him with curious eyes. " **ᗷᒪOᑎᗪᗷOY ᔕᗩᐯᕮᗪ ᗰᕮ. ᗰᗩᑎY TᕼᗩᑎKᔕ. ᗷOIᑎG!** "

Lucas stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling a warm flush prickle his cheeks ( _was it the adrenaline?_ ). "It was nothing."

" **ᑎᗩᗰᕮ ᗰᖇ. ᔕᗩTᑌᖇᑎ. ᑎᗩᗰᕮ ᗷᒪOᑎᗪᗷOY?** "

He felt the shy smile grow on his face. "Lucas."

" **ᑕOᗰᕮ ᑕOᗰᕮ, ᒪᑌᑕᗩᔕ. ᗰᕮᕮT ᖴᖇIᕮᑎᗪ ᔕᗩTᑌᖇᑎ.** " Balancing a stray apple on its head, the Mr. Saturn nudged the flustered Lucas forward, forcing them both to strut up the dirt pathway.

"N-Not now," Lucas stammered, and the Mr. Saturn stopped pushing him up the slope. The Mr. Saturn's words had jolted his mind back to clarity, and Lucas was alarmed at how far up the sun was in the sky. "My friends might be in trouble. I have to catch up to them."

Somehow, the Mr. Saturn seemed to understand. Hopping up, it patted something small and silver into his hands. " **ᔕᕼIᑎY** **ᗷOᗯTIᕮ.** **ᑕOᗰᕮ Iᖴ ᑕᕼᗩᑎGᕮ ᗰIᑎᗪ. ᘔOOᗰ!** "

Lucas flipped the item over in his palm.

A silver dragonfly.

He furrowed his eyebrows further in confusion before the shape of the smooth object triggered his memory. "A whistle," Lucas voiced in wonder, staring at the intricate bow-shaped marking etched into the delicate metal.

Then the Mr. Saturn – to Lucas's incredulous shock – bounced off the cliff without a single care in the world. " **ᔕKYᗪIᐯIᑎG. ᗷOIᑎG!** "

"No," Lucas yelled, trying to save it from a disastrous death. But by the time he peered down the edge of the cliff, the Mr. Saturn was long gone.

.

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~oO0Oo~

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.

.

When Lucas made his way back to the forked path, his anxiety multiplied. There was still no sign of his friends, and Lucas worried that one of them had been gravely injured by the mecha-lion.

To his luck, he didn't have to wait long. Almost at once, he was bombarded by a frantic telepathic voice.

_Lucas? Is that you?_

_Ness?_

A capped head popped up from behind a shrub, and Ness's shoulders sagged in relief. "Oh geez, we thought that mecha-lion ate you!" he said, cutting through the underbrush. "It must've devoured a bird or something before we caught up to it, because its fur was matted with blood. Everyone was freaking out, man!"

"Sorry. I got lost." Sheepishly, Lucas shifted his foot, then buckled, wincing as an unexpected pain seared his ankle. After everything that had happened, he'd forgotten about his injury.

Catching the flash of pain, Ness's forehead creased into a frown. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing I can't handle-"

"Where does it hurt?"

Lucas colored in embarrassment. "It's only a sprained ankle. I'll treat it later-"

To his surprise, Ness trudged over and placed a hand on his sore ankle. "Here?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"LifeUp," Ness said softly, and the stabbing ache vanished in a refreshing wash of power, and an afterscent of something that burned Lucas's nose and made him want to sneeze. Testing his ankle and now beyond relieved, Lucas threw Ness a grateful look, which Ness returned. When Lucas opened his mouth to thank him, Ness waved it away. "Don't mention it."

"You didn't have to- wait. You used magic." Lucas halted in realization. "Won't we attract Starmen?"

Ness propped himself back up. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. We can't have you stumbling around like that. Especially if we meet another mecha-lion."

"Where...?"

"We took care of it." Ness gave into a smile that didn't meet his eyes. "Claus went crazy on it. He blasted that thing flat-out with PK Thunder."

Lucas shuddered.

"Hey, we thought it had eaten you, and we didn't want it to hurt anyone else," Ness pointed out. "It's still alive if you want to know, but it's not going to bother anyone for a  _long_  time-"

Ninten's muffled yell cut through the clearing. "Ness, did you find him?"

"Yeah, I found the dolt!" Ness shouted back, throwing his sheepish best friend a glare. "We're over by the forked pathway."

Almost on cue, Ninten stumbled in, Claus right at his heels. Aside from their sweaty, flushed expressions, both of them seemed unhurt much to Lucas's relief.

Ashen-faced, Ninten staggered forward and clutched Lucas's arm. "Are you hurt? Did the mecha-lion attack you? Did  _Giygas_  attack you? Did-"

Lucas stifled a laugh. "Calm down, Ninten. I'm okay."

"It's all good," Ness added.

Claus grumpily pushed Ness aside. "See, I told you he was going to be okay," Claus said, sounding clearly annoyed. But Lucas picked up on the faint hint of concern; his eyes trailed over the way Claus held himself.

Stiff shoulders tensed in unspoken worry. Rigid fingers fiddled with themselves in unconscious agitation, uncertain with whether or not to hug his brother or rebuke him. Ever since the detention incident, Claus had rarely strayed several inches from his side, often times cracking an excuse to hold his hand or even brush meaningfully against his shoulder. Every now and then, Lucas caught the expression on his brother's face, the not so subtle  _cough-and-avert-eyes_  gesture whenever their eyes met. Lucas was not fooled in the slightest.

His brother was worried.

Lucas's eyes softened. He gently placed a hand on his forearm, then looked up into his brother's startled gaze.  _I'm okay, Claus._

Claus hesitated, meeting his eyes.  _Are you sure?_

 _Positive._ Lucas turned away, flushing a deeper crimson in utter mortification. His friends had bravely fended off the monstrous mecha-lion, and here he was, accidentally tripping over  _grass_  and spraining his ankle like some three-year-old.

How embarrassing.

Ness deflated, shouldering his bag. "I was an idiot," he mumbled, fingering the bill of his hat. "My dad bought this bag for me, and when the mecha-lion snatched it away, getting it back was the only thing I had in my mind. I shouldn't have left you guys behind."

"It's okay, I shouldn't have been a klutz-"

"No, Lucas," Ness said softly. "Anything can happen out here. We're lucky that you and Ninten didn't bump into some serious trouble." Ness drew himself up with a confident smile. "From now on, we're in this together."

"No child left behind," Ninten added, and Claus smacked him in the arm. "Ow," Ninten grumbled, rubbing his sore shoulder. "Stop abusing me, Claus."

Lucas caved into a sigh of relief. "At least nobody was hurt-"

"Yeah," Ness teased. "Nobody, except for  _you-"_

Claus jerked his head up. "Except for  _who_ _?!_ "

Lucas hastily swiped a finger across his neck, and Ness's eyes widened in realization. "Uh, I meant... joke! Good night, show's over." With an awkward laugh, Ness slapped Lucas on the back. "Okay, cool, let's hit the road-"

"Hold on," Claus said quietly.

If Lucas could read his older brother like a book, vice-versa applied. Claus didn't sound terribly convinced. "Lucas," Claus said, his stare slowly stabbing his younger brother with the force of a thousand suns. "What happened?"

Lucas wanted to die of embarrassment. It was already bad enough that Ness knew; Claus flipped out whenever Lucas got so much a paper cut. As if to test this theory, Lucas lifted his head, risking a tentative side-glance at his brother.

Claus looked two seconds away from a heart attack.

Lucas decided not to mention his death-defying stunt. "It's nothing important-"

"Nothing important, huh?" Claus's eyes glinted. "C'mere!"

Claus lunged forward, extending his arms wide to trap him in a headlock. Lucas yelped, trying to side-step him, but Claus seized him by the shoulder, tackling him to the ground.

A free-for-all commenced.

The twins playfully scuffled about in the dirt, each trying to achieve dominance over the other. In the end, there could only be one winner, and with a wide grin, Lucas pinned Claus down with his elbows.

"I win!" Lucas chirped, happily sitting on Claus's stomach.

Claus grunted, squirming and shifting under Lucas's weight. "Get off, fatty. I can't breathe."

Lucas laughed, scrambling up to let him stand. "Maybe your old age is finally catching up to you-"

Claus snatched his ankles, dragging them back with a hard yank. Lucas gave an undignified yelp as he toppled face-first into the dirt for the third time that day. Before Lucas could regain his footing, Claus had turned the tables on him, straddling his knees on either side of his struggling body.

"You cheated!"

"So did you," Claus smirked. "I know you're hiding something. You can't lie to me, Lucas, 'cause I won't let you get away with it."

"I'm not lying," Lucas complained. "It's the half-truth-"

"Half-truth? Hmm, then I guess I'll sit here like this until you say the  _whole_  truth-"

"You're... too heavy..."

"Don't pull the Pity Card. I'm not falling for it."

_"Please?"_

"That depends. Are you gonna fess up?"

"Never!"

Claus grinned and mischievously wiggled his fingers. "Well, I know just the thing to change your mind-"

"AHH! No! Don't you dare, Claus," Lucas squeaked, frantically trying to wriggle out of his grasp. "Guys," he pleaded to Ness and Ninten, both of whom were watching the twins in amusement. "Don't just stand there. Do something! Help!"

As soon as the tips of Claus's fingers hiked up the bottom of his shirt, Lucas helplessly burst out into peals of laughter. "S-Stop, Claus, I'm sorry! I-Hahaha! Okay stop, stoppit,  _please!_  I give up, I surrender, just- _hahahaaaa!"_

"Yes?" Claus's smirk widened, and as if enjoying tormenting his own brother, he cupped a free hand to his ear. "I'm sorry, Lucas. I didn't really hear what you said. You might want to speak up-"

"Okay, I'll talk," Lucas gasped, trying to squirm away from his brother's fingers. "I twisted my ankle, and Ness healed me! That was it! Now get off, you're heavy!"

"That's more like it." To Lucas's relief, Claus let him go, now patting the dirt off Lucas's pants. It was then Claus felt two pairs of eyes on him, and realized that both Ness and Ninten were watching him with big, fat grins on their faces.

Claus scowled. "What are you two looking at?"

"NO. WAY." Ninten gasped. "Claus is actually a sarcastic jerk again!"

"Shut up, Ninten."

"He's reverted back to his natural state," Ness deadpanned. "It's unbelievable."

Ninten wisely shook his head. "Ah, even the strangest of phenomena have no logical explanation-"

"Everything has a logical explanation," Claus countered, narrowing his eyes. This was beginning to sound like one of their little quarrels at school, and both Lucas and Ness shared an amused look.

"OBJECTION!" Ninten declared. "Anything is possible, if you  _believe_ -"

"Stop, just stop, Ninten." Claus face-palmed. "Ugh, just listen to yourself. Not everything is possible through sheer belief!"

"I believe in make-believe."

"Well then, you're wrong. Everything follows the laws of physics, so things can't just magically  _appear."_

"Well, PSI doesn't follow all the rules of physics," Ninten countered, jabbing a finger into the air. "What if something magically  _poofed_ into existence? How would you justify that? Huh, Claus?"

"Humor me," Claus said in a bored voice.

Ninten fidgeted, trying to think of a good example. "Um... W-What if... What if some dude randomly fell from the sky?"

"Okay, easy," Claus said flatly, cocking an eyebrow. "One,  _people can't fly_. Two, we're in the middle of nowhere. Three...  _PEOPLE CAN'T FLY._ "

"Exactly!" Ninten exclaimed, jabbing his finger into the air. " _It makes no sense!_  Not everything has to have a logical explanation."

"Right, so  _clearly_  someone is going to randomly appear out of thin air and snap photos of us in rapid succession-"

A dark figure hurtled out of the air, bombarding them with a barrage of PK Flashes. Collective cries of pain, bewilderment, and shock emanated from the party.

Blinking furiously, Claus raised an arm to cover his watering eyes. "The  _hell?"_

"Photos taken instantaneously!"

_**Snap! Snap! Snap!** _

"I'm a photographic genius, if I do say so myself." A bearded man in a tux raised his camera again. "Say fuzzy pickles!"

"You look familiar... Who are you?" Ness said, confused.

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

"You haven't answered my question-"

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

"But- oh. NOT YOU AGAIN."

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

"We don't want to take-"

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

Exasperated, Ness dragged everyone into the frame. "FUZZY PICKLES."

Ninten blinked. "Ness, what-"

"Trust me on this one," Ness hissed from the corner of his mouth. " _Smile."_

"But-"

"SMILE."

They reluctantly complied. It was a monstrous sight; their teeth felt painfully awkward and clunky, lips stretched too wide for comfort-

_**Snap.** _

"Oh my, this one's a keeper!" The man stuffed the picture into his waistcoat, then bowed low at the waist. "Until next time, folks!"

The camera man spiraled up into the air and disappeared out of sight.

Stunned silence.

"H-He...But h-how?" Claus sputtered, staring at the exact spot the man had disappeared into the sky. His face colored in disbelief. " _How_?!"

Ninten burst out laughing. "Ooh, Claus! You just got  _owne-_ "

"This doesn't prove anything!" Claus snapped, still flushing a dark crimson.

"Heh. Someone's a sore loser-"

"Shut up! I'm not a sore loser!"

"Sore loser."

Creasing his eyebrows in a frown, Lucas stared up at the sky. "Ness, did you know that man?"

"Nope."

Claus whirled around, aghast. "Didn't your parents ever teach you  _not_  to talk to strangers?"

"I checked his mind with telepathy. He wasn't going to leave without a photo." Ness sighed. "He's harmless, Claus."

"I think he's a stalker," Ninten said.

 _"You think so?"_  Lucas whispered, now terrified by the thought.

"Probably. He's got a camera and everything-" Ninten stopped as if his own words had finally caught up to his brain.  _"Oh."_

They all froze wide-eyed as the implications of his words sank in.

…

_..._

"Claus! You jinxed it!" Ninten wailed. He dramatically fell to his knees. "YOU'VE DOOMED US ALL."

" _I_  jinxed it?" Claus sputtered. "YOU brought it up!"

"Guys, calm down," Lucas tried to reassure them. "The camera man might not be a stalker-"

"Fifty-fifty isn't good odds, Lucas!" Claus snapped, turning around with an accusatory glare. "This is your fault, Ness!"

"How is it  _my_  fault?" Ness said, now offended. "Claus, he's just some kooky old man. I'm pretty sure he's NOT a stalker-"

"Even  _Ninten_  thought he was a stalker-"

Ninten scrunched his eyes in concentration. "Hold on, guys."

"Don't tell me you believe him too-" Claus rounded on Ninten with an incredulous look. "If you haven't noticed, some stalker  _invaded our privacy and flew away!_ "

"For the last time, Claus,that man's  _not_  a stalker!"

"And you know this because...?"

"I know this because I finally know who he is now." Ness snapped his fingers in recognition. "That guy... He's the same dude who takes our yearbook pictures every year!"

"You're bluffing."

"Why would I bluff?!"

"See Ness, that's even more proof that he's a stalker-"

 _"Guys,_  quit your chit chat. There's an organic lifeform flying overhead, and it's not the yearbook man," Ninten interrupted. "Whatever it is, it's coming closer."

Ness cursed under his breath. "Hide!" he hissed, dragging them behind some sizeable rocks. They waited in growing apprehension, straining their senses - even their low breathing sounded loud in their ears.

They didn't have to wait long for their unwelcome guest to appear.

With low  _vrooooooooooooosh,_ a robot hummed, lowering itself onto the ground. " **ENERGY OUTPUT DETECTED. SOURCES INDICATE MAGIC. PROCEED SCAN?** "

 _A Starman,_  Ninten whispered. There was a silent assent to his words.

 _It must have sensed my LifeUp,_ Ness muttered as they froze in place, warily watching its every move.

Claus furrowed his eyebrows.  _You said that you sensed something organic. That thing is definitely artificial, Ninten._

Ninten shifted his gaze to the Staman.  _I don't understand... only living things can generate magic._

" **ENERGY OUTPUT... NEGLIGIBLE. CANCEL SCAN.** "

The Starman sped off into the air.

"It's heading back to the research facility." Checking that everyone was close behind, Ness leaped forward in hot pursuit. "C'mon!"

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~oO0Oo~

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They were right to keep on moving. Even from this distance, they spotted a noticeable cluster of silver on the mountainside where Claus had supposedly taken down the mecha-lion.

Just beyond the horizon, the Starman paused above a sparse clearing. Catching his breath, Claus narrowed his eyes. "What's it doing?"

With a smooth whirr, a hidden entrance spiraled open in front of their incredulous eyes. The Starman plunged out of sight, disappearing down the secret entrance. Another soft whirr, and the hole closed up, leaving no sign that the wilderness had been disturbed in the first place.

"This is it," Ninten felt his own skin tingle in apprehension. Rubbing the goosebumps away, he could almost  _see_  Giygas lurking down there, waiting to respond to the slightest hint of their reappearance.

Looking ready clobber anything in their path, Ness steadied his baseball bat. "Okay, keep your guard up. Anything you see, hear, or even breathe might kill us."

Claus rolled his eyes. "Overkill much?"

"Hey, we're in enemy territory," Ness hissed, jabbing into the bushes. "We need to be  _vigilant."_

An ear-wrenching rumble broke the silence.

Instantly, they whirled around, pointing their sparking fingers at its source-

Wide-eyed by the trigger fingers pointed his way, a blushing Ninten raised his hands up in defense. "Guys, it's just me. I'm... famished." When they cracked a grin or two at his pitiful state, Ninten sank into his knees with a long-suffering groan. "I know, haha -  _Ninten, your stomach is as loud as a Pork Tank_ \- but I'm not joking. Can't  we set up camp for the day and eat what's left of our fucking food?"

"Are you- _no!_ " Ness gestured at the valley in disbelief. "We're here."

"None of us got the chance to eat at all because of that dumb mecha-lion-" Ninten collapsed onto the ground in a puff of dust. A muffled moan escaped from his limp form. "Forget Giygas. We're all gonna to starve to death and die."

"He's right. We're all dead on our feet," Claus said, slumping against a weather-beaten boulder himself to support his aching legs. "Look, Ness. The actual battle can wait until tomorrow morning. We need to rest. Honestly, if  _you_  look at yourself, you look like a dump too."

"We can't bail now. Our ticket in is  _right there._  If we're quick enough, we can-"

"-get wrecked. Face it, Ness. None of us are in any condition to fight anything today."

Ness clenched his fists at his sides. "Get up, Claus."

Claus yawned, stretching his arms in a deliberately slow and insolent manner. "Hmm... lemme think - ah, _n_ _o."_

"They could be  _hurt,_ Claus. Our friends need our help, and I'm not failing them them again!" Now filled with desperation, Ness tried to pull Claus off his stump. "Look at it, we're so  _close-"_

"-close to getting caught ourselves. For the last effing time, get a grip!" His short fuse lighting off from fatigue, Claus shoved Ness back harder than he intended to into the ground.

Slowly, Ness pushed himself up, wiping the dirt off his face with a sleeve. Claus eyed him in open contempt.

Now alert at the sudden shift in mood, Ninten spoke up. "Uh... in case both of you've forgotten, Giygas is kinda next door-"

"So you're butthurt that we can't save anybody. Well, so are we. Get over it. We'll save them tomorrow," Claus fired off. When Ness continued to say nothing, his fingers curling up into fists, Claus caught sight of them with a sneer. "What, you planning to punch me? 'Cause I'm sure _that'll_ work-"

"Claus."

At his brother's intervention, Claus flinched. Lucas's voice was quiet, but the disapproval in his expression said it all.

"Lucas, you can't sugarcoat things for him. We can't win in a fight right now. You  _know_  that," Claus said defensively.

Lucas didn't look happy. Brushing past him, Lucas helped pull Ness back onto his feet.

Exasperated, Claus tagged after his brother like a mother hen. "Lucas, you can't be serious. There's no way we're infiltrating the base tonight-"

"We're not giving up, Ness. But Claus has a point," Lucas broke in, throwing Claus a sharp look, and for once, Claus caught the silent warning and closed his mouth with a scowl. "Barging into Giygas's lab now is a bad idea. If the missing students  _are_  there, we need to be well-rested and ready."

Ness didn't respond.

Lucas's eyes softened. "We're here with you all the way," he said, resting a hand on Ness's shoulder in reassurance. Ness jerked his head up, taken aback when Lucas mirrored his eyes with trust, because,  _h_ _eck,_ Ness himself had no idea what he was doing. He was just improvising shitty plans and crossing his fingers, hoping that none of them got killed by the end of the day.

All of his friends looked worse for wear. They were caked in dry mud and sweat. Their knees shook from exhaustion, threatening to buckle from the burden of their crushing weariness.

It was only a matter of time before someone protested, and Ness wouldn't blame them.

Yet, nobody had.

**We're here with you all the way.**

Ness felt a lump grow in his throat, and resisted the urge to choke, or worse, cry. He struggled to force the lump back down, and swallowed. Once again, determination sparked his hallowed, haunted eyes. The faces of his missing friends popped into his mind.

_We're coming for you._

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~oO0Oo~

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Ana was a quiet girl. She didn't argue, she didn't complain, and she didn't make a mountain of a molehill.

But when she awoke with a rather nasty headache, she was understandably rattled by the strange sounds and colors bombarding her bewildered vision.

 _Am I in a tropical rainforest?_  Ana grimaced, sitting up in a sleeping bag _( _A sleeping bag? Now where had **that**  come from?_)._

Lush, green leaves hung from looming palm trees. Nearby, a clear spring of water gurgled like music in her ears. Around her, sweet, luscious red-orange fruit hung from branches in plentiful droves. An occasional caw of exotic birds was quickly followed by the telltale flash of multicolored feathers. She couldn't tell which of the things around her were fake, and which were real. But for starters, when Ana brushed her fingers against her sheets - yep, the sleeping bag was definitely real.

That was when Ana remembered.

She'd been captured.

Of course.

Ever since Paula's strange absence, she and Poo had teamed up at school to investigate her disappearance. As fellow mages, Poo had advised that they stick together, but during the thrill of the Halloween Dance, Ana had accidentally been separated from him by the enormous crowd of people. Panicking, she had tried reaching out with her telepathy in vain, but quickly realized that the party was too loud for any sort of mental maneuvering. As she shouted and called out Poo's name, Pokey had spotted her, and he had offered to show her where Poo was.

In hindsight, it did seem like a stupid thing to fall for, but Ana had panicked, and her judgement had been clouded by her deafening worry for Poo's safety. But the moment she'd been led outside into the basketball court, Pokey had disappeared. All too late, Ana realized her mistake, but before she could escape, a group of strange, metallic hominoid figures had knocked her unconscious with a strike to the head.

_Ah. That explained the headache._

"Ana?"

The blonde froze. "Paula," she exclaimed, sitting upright so quickly that her head spun nauseatingly. True to her word, an anxious Paula materialized into view, and Ana hugged her missing friend joyfully with as much force as she could muster. "You're okay!"

Paula pushed her back down. "You shouldn't strain yourself," she said worriedly. "Those Starmen did quite a number on you, and I tried to heal you the best I could. But my PSI was completely spent, and you were unconscious, so I hope you don't mind that I used telepathy to tap into your PSI core."

"How long was I out?"

"I don't know," Paula admitted, lowering her arms. "Maybe a few days? You and Poo were floating in the spring." She pointed towards the center of the lush jungle, and Ana caught the distant sparkle of tell-tale water.

Alarmed, Ana rose. "Oh, is Poo hurt?"

"He's fine!" Paula said hastily. "He's out scouting with Kuma. We think that the only exit's located above the spring, but it's hard to tell because of the glass force-field. We're trapped inside. And it sucks because it absorbs PSI." To prove her point, Paula knocked on an invisible wall next to her, and it let out a thick  _clunk_.

"We can't see through the glass, but maybe someone else could see us through the other side." Ana stared expectantly at the glass. "What's on the other side?"

"No idea. I woke up in here like you."

Ana's breath hitched in her throat. "Paula, we need to leave. Who knows what could happen. Anything could happen to us, and no one from home would know. We could be killed, we could even starve to death-"

Paula laughed loudly, cutting her off. It was the first time Ana had seen her so happy by far. "The fruit's edible and the water's fresh, so you don't have to worry about starving to death. Sometimes, they even drop in new sleeping bags from time to time. No fresh clothes though, but well... at least the sleeping bags are warm and clean enough..." Her face darkened. "Our real problem is the Starmen."

"Starmen?" Ana echoed plaintively. She winced as her head protested and gave another jolt of pain. Fresh out of PSI, Ana sighed regretfully, then nursed her still-ringing head. "What Starmen?"

"I'm talking about those metal robots that kidnapped you," Paula said bitterly, and Ana picked up on Paula's distress. Her best friend was such a wild spirit; small wonder why Paula hated claustrophobic spaces.

"Have you tried blasting your way out?"

Paula clenched her fists. "I don't have enough PSI."

"Can't you recharge your PSI?"

"Yeah, but that's when the Starmen come in." Paula's features darkened considerably, drawing slanted shadows across her harried face. "The Starmen are smart. If they wanted us dead, we'd already  _be_  dead."

"What do you mean?"

Paula shook her head. "We're at their mercy. The Starmen emerge from the exit above the spring. You can kill them off, but they'll keep on coming until you give in and feed the force-field with every drop of your PSI."

"Where does all the energy go?"

"Nowhere good, I bet," Paula said grimly.

"Well... maybe you could hide when they come-"

"You can't hide. You can't run. They know everything: where you are, how much PSI you have, your heart rate...everything." Paula yanked up her sleeve. Cuffed to her wrist was a glassy, metallic tracker, and Ana realized that there was also a similar-looking device attached to her own arm.

"Don't bother. I tried," Paula added when Ana tried to tug it off in vain.

Ana felt despair sink in, and closed her mouth. After all, what  _could_  she say?

Paula slumped against a tree. All her former confidence seemed to drain out of her. "I've been here for a while," she said quietly. "My mom's probably worried..."

Ana hesitated. Not knowing what to do, she shyly patted Paula in the back. "We'll find a way out," she whispered.

"I know."

"You know?"

"I have a good feeling." Paula hummed in response, accepting her comfort. "I had a vision two weeks ago. I saw Ness with three other people. I couldn't tell who they were, but I'm think that it was Ninten and the twins."

"Ninten? No way," Ana said in disbelief. As much as she wanted to believe Paula's vision, it sounded too good to be true.

"Yes way," Paula said, confidently placing her hands on her hips. "Ness knows PSI, so maybe the rest of them do too."

Ana's spirits rose. "If they come, then we might have a fighting chance."

"Of course! Kuma's been here longest, and she's getting impatient. We're just waiting for the right moment." Paula clenched her fists. "Look, Ana, I don't know how, and I don't know when, but help is already on the way."

"I just hope the boys know what they're getting themselves into," Ana said quietly.

Paula closed her eyes with a small smile. "I believe in Ness. If there's one person we can trust... it's him."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [EDIT 6/10/18]: Added in a few details of the music industry, but won't go into much detail since this isn't the main point of the fic. But basically, prominent singers/bands such as the DCMC would be close to a manager and booking agent, who are in charge of business affairs and booking concerts respectively. The DCMC would also have a publisher and artist manager, along with other staff higher up in management who would help organize and market their band successfully in the music world.


	15. Going Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a new computer, so I'm back to editing previous chapters. Returning to give this old fic some more love ^-^  
> Thank you for the Kudos/Comments while I was gone! I'll update Through Thick and Thin shortly <3

Barreling through the forested scenery with fierce abandon, Claus sprinted for dear life, panting and wheezing like a run-down car.

Branches scratched at Claus's face. With Lucas's head lolling on his shoulder, Claus shifted his grip to keep his brother's limp body on his back. He could only pray that Lucas wasn't injured, that Lucas wasn't hurt, that Lucas wasn't-

"This way," Came Ness's muffled yell.

Claus followed him deeper into the foliage.

Up ahead, Ness didn't seem to fare better. Lugging an unconscious Ninten over his shoulder, Ness clumsily barged through the trees like a headless chicken with no sense of direction. With the thick leaves in his vision, Claus could barely squint out Ness's outline darting between the trees-

_"CLIFF!"_

With a loud swear, Claus skidded to a halt, digging in his heels into the rocky ground. If Ness hadn't shouted out in alarm, Claus would've accidentally stepped off the steep mountain slope. The two boys glanced at the deep gorge beneath their feet. Falling here was fatal, and running was impossible. They couldn't shake off their pursuers in this terrain.

Groggily, Lucas chose that opportune time to stir.

Claus felt a slight sliver of hope. "Lucas...? Hey listen, can you-"

"Claus," His brother said dreamily, brutally crushing any of Claus's hopes. "Your hair feels soft... like a baby chick."

Nevermind. For all Claus knew, Lucas was hopelessly high, Ninten was clocked out like the dead, and now, they either faced capture by Starmen or risked death by kersplatting against the ground. Lovely.

Claus felt the sinking sensation grow in the pit of his stomach. The plan had gone horribly, _horribly_ wrong.

**_I shouldn't have let them go in the first place._ **

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Fifteen**_ ~

_**Going Alone** _

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* * *

_**One Hour Ago...** _

Claus scowled at the darkened figure in front of him. "Ninten, move your smelly feet out of my face."

Ninten's mocking politeness immediately followed. "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just busy making sure nothing's on the other side of this air vent waiting to _kill_ us!"

"I thought you already used your telepathy-"

"I did!"

"Then why aren't we moving if the coast is clear?!" Claus snapped. He could feel his numb legs cramping up in pins and needles from kneeling low on all fours, and his aching neck was starting to get painfully sore. "What the heck is taking you so long? We've been stuck down here for at least fifteen minutes!"

Ninten grunted. "I'm trying to unscrew the iron grate. It's harder than it looks."

"Align, twist, and pull! How much harder can it get?"

"Easy for you to say, dumbass," Ninten snapped, finally managing to unscrew one nail. "I've never touched a toolbox in my life and you probably did, like, at least a thousand times. Now if you'd shut up, I'd make some pretty good progress!"

They'd scouted the area earlier in the morning. Accessing the hidden entrance was a no-go: Giygas had set security cameras all over the place, and the doors closed too quickly for any of them to follow a Starman in. A distraction using PSI to lure out the Starmen had been suggested by Lucas, but it was immediately shot down by Ness.

_"That's a good idea, but it's not going to work," Ness pointed out. "There's no way any of us could lure the Starmen away AND return in time without PK Teleport. Anyways, PK Teleport still uses PSI, so I'd only be luring the Starmen back."_

_"Hold on," Claus interrupted. "What if there's another way in?"_

_"Other than the secret entrance? There's no other way-"_

_"There is. One passage." Claus dropped to all fours, brushing around twigs and spare leaves. "It was on the blueprint…" Another rustle of dried leaves. "…should be around here somewhere..."_

_"I'm still in the dark, Claus." Ninten said, frowning at the opened blueprint. "That Starmen entrance is literally the only exit in and out of the facility. There's no other way in. Well, except for the…"_

_"Found it."_ _Claus pointed at something embedded into the dirt. It gleamed amidst the dried, red-orange leaves. "Air vent."_

_Ninten's eyes widened. "No way."_

_Ness stared at the air vent, then slowly grinned. "You know, this_ _just might work."_

_Lucas experimentally pulled the edges the iron grate. "But there's no way we can flip open this thing without PSI... Unless-" Lucas threw Claus a surprised look. "You didn't!"_

_"Yeah, I did," Claus smirked, flipping out a tiny screwdriver from his pocket. Ness and Ninten stared at him in amazement._

_"Okay, where the hell did you get that?" Ninten blurted out._

_In response, Claus fished out a mini toolkit from his pocket. It looked awfully familiar…_

_With a grunt, Claus bent over to unscrew the iron grate. "This is Lloyd's. I was gonna give it back after my detention... but we're in a life and death situation. I'm sure that he'll understand."_

It was bad enough that they were unceremoniously crammed in a small-ass air vent underground, but Ness was starting to get a headache from Claus and Ninten's quarreling. Even though Ninten had his airhead moments, he knew when to be serious, and Claus was rarely impractical.

But stuff them together in an air vent, and _Voila!_ \- instantaneous squabbling match.

It was driving Ness _insane._

"Ninten, hurry up!"

" _I said I'm trying-_ "

"Trying to take your sweet time, more like."

In the cramped space, Ness shifted his limbs into a more comfortable position (or into the least uncomfortable possible). Sensing his exasperated mood, Lucas craned his head around and flashed him a pitiful excuse for a smile.

 _Lucas, do something,_ Ness groaned.

Lucas broke into a grimace. _I tried, but Claus keeps rising to the bait whenever Ninten says-_

"Stop pushing your shoes into my face, you fatso. Now you're doing it on purpose!" Claus snapped childishly.

"Oops, I'm _so_ sorry, your majesty. I think I'm _too_ fat to move out of the way," Ninten said sarcastically. "Would you like me to actually shove my shoes into your face?"

"That's enough," Ness said before Claus could retort. Both boys jolted in surprise at the new voice and bumped their heads against the low ceiling. "Ninten, let it go and focus. Claus, shut up and leave him alone."

It was remarkable how quickly his orders were carried out.

"Sorry," Ninten muttered. Sulking, Claus bit his retort back.

Ness didn't need telepathy to know that they were both nervous. Neither of them were genuinely angry; their squabbling only seemed to be a way to deal with their rising anxiety.

 _Ness, are you sure we took the correct path to the control room?_ Lucas whispered, broadcasting his thoughts to all of them.

Ness gave a mental nod. _Positive. That's what the blueprint said._ He let a slight sliver of doubt seep into his mind. _Claus, this all depends on you. Are you sure…?_

 _I know my limits,_ Claus's curt response came. _I can do it._

With a final clatter, Ninten unscrewed the last bolt and halted, placing his hands on the iron grate. For a few nerve-wracking seconds, he pressed his ear against the grail, and they all held their breaths. The only noises they heard, however, were the rhythmic computerized beeps and hums of the outside machinery.

Then Ninten gripped the bars of the unscrewed grate with steady hands. _All clear. You guys ready?_

 _Ready as we can ever be,_ Ness said grimly.

_Here goes nothing._

Ninten shoved the iron grate open, and they scrambled into the darkened room like an poorly-rehearsed SWAT team. Overhead, multiple rows of blue flickering screens caught their eyes, and Ninten emitted a low whistle.

"Holy crap, there's got to at least a hundred security cameras in this facility," he breathed, transfixed by the rows of live video feed. "I don't see Giygas in any of them though. Maybe he's out somewhere…"

"I hope so," Lucas said, wary gaze never flitting away from the open doorway.

During this time, Claus had darted over to the Motherboard. Without a second to lose, his fingers rapidly flew across the keyboard. Some fluorescent green letters blinked up on the black screen. When several incomprehensible phrases popped up, Claus expertly flicked his wrist on ENTER.

The computer buzzed. **P455W0RD?**

Claus wasn't deterred. Lloyd might be the best mechanic, and Jeff their walking Science Dictionary, but Claus was no slacker in their Solar Car team. No doubt he liked robotics, but computer programming was Claus's specialty. This was _his_ domain.

Cracking his knuckles, Claus narrowed his eyes at the screen and got back down to business.

Several tense minutes passed.

 _Giygas's clever_ , Claus had to admit _._ There were a too many tricks in the coding - some he couldn't decipher, others too risky for Claus to meddle with. But this wasn't the time for second guessing himself. Making one last omission in the sequence of letters, Claus jabbed the **ENTER** button with his pinky.

They all collectively held their breaths.

Then a cool female voice smoothly erupted from the speakers. **"Welcome, Giygas."**

"Hacked it," Claus smirked, stretching his legs.

Their incredulous looks were worth the grunt work. Lucas laughed in relief, and Ninten pumped a fist into the air.

 **" _We're in_** ," Ninten said in the obvious imitation of a movie hacker, and Claus punched him in the shoulder. "Oh come on, can't I say a stupid cliche line to a cliche-"

"And the Starmen?" Ness pressed.

"I can't deactivate the Starmen because Giygas must have wired that command somewhere else," Claus frowned. "But I manipulated the code so that all of them would recognize us as _friendly._ Either way, we'll have to act fast," Claus warned. "He's gonna find out soon."

"Roger that," Ness said.

"Wait, is that... _Ana?"_

Ness whirled around at Ninten's outburst. "Where?"

Staring at one of the security screens, Ninten's face brightened up in recognition. "It is! And I think Paula and Picky's there too."

Hope surged into Ness's heart. Grinning, he stole a brief glance at their resident computer whiz. "Claus, any way we can talk to...?"

"On it."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Picky lowered the half-eaten mango to the ground. His appetite was gone, swallowed up by his own uneasiness.

"You okay, Picky?"

Startled, Picky raised his head to Paula's kind blue eyes. At her voice, all of the others had looked up to stare at them, and Picky felt his face flush. "I'm fine," he squeaked.

"Is something ailing you?" Poo asked. He placed a hand on Picky's forehead. "You do seem a little flushed-"

Kumatora tore into another mango. "Hey kiddo, if you don't eat, you'll start feelin' worse. Trust me." Gulping down a mouthful of fruit, she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, much to Ana's revulsion. "Blech," Kumatora spat in disgust. "I absolutely _hate_ mangoes. They're too sickly sweet and soft."

True to her germaphobic tendencies, Ana gingerly patted the dirt off her dress. "I hope that the next deposit of clean clothes is coming soon..."

Beside her, Paula didn't fare any better with her dress singed, her hair a wild crow's nest.

Shuddering away from another pile of dirt, Ana hugged her knees tighter to her body. She looked about ready to faint. "Paula, are you sure-"

Paula's firm confidence didn't waver. "Ness is on his way."

Highly skeptical of her repeated claim, Kumatora snorted into her mango. "I'm calling it. Your man ain't coming."

Paula bristled. "I believe in Ness. He's one of my best friends-"

"Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that. _"_

Poo threw Kumatora a look. "Captain Ness is very resourceful. You should not underestimate his power of the _BS-ing."_

"Man, you guys are crazy." Kumatora shook her head. "Listen up, twerps. I've been here for two months. Or longer. I dunno, I haven't kept track of the time. But hey, no one knows where we are, and if the adults haven't figured it out, what makes you think that your friends can? Face it, no one's coming to save us."

Picky's stomach sank. His brother had betrayed his friends, and despite the fact that they were trying to be optimistic for his sake, their combined worry was starting to crumble through the cracks.

Half of him wished nothing more than to crawl to the spring and drown himself in guilt.

"I'm sorry," Picky croaked. He couldn't bear to meet Paula's eyes. "It's my fault that all of you are stuck here. Pokey was working for Giygas to keep me safe..."

There was a stunned silence. Everyone exchanged a troubled look.

"Picky, don't say that," Paula whispered, scooting over to give him a hug. "Pokey might have betrayed us, but it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself."

"Kiddo," Kumatora sighed, crossing her arms. "As much as I hate being stuck here, I have to agree with princess-"

"Don't call me _princess!_ " Paula flared up. At the outburst, Ana threw Poo an exasperated look, and Poo's lips twitched in amusement.

Even so with their encouragement, Picky was terrified. He was miles away from home, stuck in an unknown place with unknown dangers. And plagued with the awful betrayal of his brother, the entire ordeal was too much for Picky's ten-year-old mind to handle.

So Picky acted like any other ten-year-old would in such a situation.

Seek comfort.

He buried himself into Paula's arms. "But what if Kumatora's right, Paula? What if... What if Ness never shows up?"

"Psychics have dreams that can predict the future," Poo said, tilting his head. "I, too, sense truth in Paula's prediction. Do not despair."

Kumatora rolled her eyes. "Well, I hope they come soon. I won't last another day cooped up in here-"

As if on cue, a giant voice crackled into existence.

 **"Are you sure that they can hear us?"** A voice anxiously filtered into the air.

 **"Yeah. The audio should work,"** Came a grumpy response. **"For the last time, Ness, I know what I'm doing."**

 **"Then why aren't they saying anything?"** A similar-sounding voice wondered.

 **"Because Claus is a grumpy dickface,"** A fourth voice laughed. A loud smack, and then a yelp. **"Ow, OW! I was just kidding!"**

Paula's eyes dawned in realization. "Ness? Is that you?"

"Captain Ness!" Poo exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

 **"Paula? Poo?"** Ness's excited voice rang into the air. **"Oh geez, are you guys there?"**

Then a video screen fizzled into the spherical glass, revealing four boys huddled in a dark room glowing with machinery. Ness's face eagerly lit up at the sight of his friends.

 **"Video cam activated,"** Claus said absentmindedly, checking the console.

Ninten furiously waved at them. **"Oh, heya, Ana! We're here to rescue you!"**

Kumatora stared up at the giant screen. "You're kidding me. So Paula, this is the so-called "help" you've been talking about? Four idiot freshmen?" She dragged a palm down her face. "...calling it. We're screwed."

**"Says the person with pink hair. Trendy as fu-"**

"Shut it, loser."

 **"Hey, you look familiar. Do I know you?"** Claus squinted down at her. **"Yeah, I don't know you. Not that I'd _want_ to-"**

Kumatora face turned a bright scarlet. "Why, you punk-"

His twin materialized at Claus's side. **"Wait, we've seen her before, Claus,"** Lucas recognized, snapping his fingers. **"She's that junior who went missing in our Phys Ed class... Kumatora! The captain of the wrestling team."**

"Right, and you're that blond chick who's really good at singing," Kumatora smirked, feeling some sort of satisfaction when Lucas flushed a bright pink himself.

 **"Don't call my brother a chick, woman!"** Claus snapped.

Ness cleared his throat. **"We don't have much time. Where are you guys in the research facility?"**

"Research facility?" Paula asked, bewildered. "We're in a research facility?"

"That's quite a problem," Poo said with a frown. "None of us were awake when the enemy ambushed us."

"Actually…" Picky trailed off, and all eyes flew to him. "I regained consciousness as the Starmen were carrying me here. I don't remember much... but I saw an elevator right before the Starmen took me further underground."

The four boys exchanged a glance. **"The basement,"** they said in unison.

Sounds of fingers clicking on the touchpad erupted from the speakers, and the entrance above the glass dome slid open.

 **"The exit should be open,"** Claus announced. **"You're free."**

The trapped teens hesitated, eyeing the hole above with skepticism.

"Great job, ginger," Kumatora said sarcastically. "Look, the entrance is several feet above a rather deep spring. We can't get out unless someone actually comes here and pulls us out with rope or something."

"We're also out of PSI," Ana said. "The glass dome absorbs psychic energy."

Ness shared a troubled expression with his friends, but when he turned back to the screen, he was smiling again. **"No sweat! We're heading over right now. I can get you guys out with PK teleport."**

"Why can't you use PK Teleport now and save us the time?" Kumatora grumbled.

**"I want to save energy by conserving distance."**

"Please be careful," Ana said, worried.

 **"We will!"** Ninten grinned, throwing them a quick salute, then the screen fizzled to black.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"...the 1st floor has a forge that manufactures Starmen," Ness muttered, stopping in the hallway to squint at the blueprint. "I guess Starmen must be stuffed in the basement for storage."

As if on cue, they passed an open room. Its visor on, a Starman was bent over a forge, which erupted with a strange silvery fire. Through the shower of sparks, they managed to spot a concoction of completed Starmen parts on the side.

Suddenly, a Starman turned the corner of the hallway.

They instinctively tensed up, but Claus had done his work well: The Starman paid them no heed, making a beeline towards another forge.

They breathed easily again.

The sterile white-washed walls gave Claus an uncomfortable feeling. Giygas's lab reminded him of a hospital. _Too_ much like a hospital.

Claus shuddered. _I hate staying down here longer than we need to._

"The elevator's around the corner-"

"Finally," Claus hurried, shoving Ness forward. "Now can we get going?"

"Don't push me!"

"If you haven't noticed, we're in a bit of a hurry, you airhead-"

"I'm staying on this floor," Ninten suddenly broke out.

They all froze.

"What are you talking about?" Ness demanded.

Ninten's eyes shone with a strange emotion. "I wanna check out Giygas's study," he said quietly.

"We don't have time," Ness pressed. "The system's not going to stay hacked for long. We need to bust everyone out before Giygas regains control of the-"

"I know. I want you guys to go ahead without me."

"...You've gone mad," Claus broke out, narrowing his eyes. But when Ninten didn't respond, Claus looked taken aback. "No. You're a flippin' nutcase!" Claus spat, jabbing a finger into his chest. "That's got to be the most dangerous room in the entire facility, and you want us to let you go in there _alone_?"

"Ninten, listen to me. That room? It's definitely under top-notch security." Ness's face darkened. "This isn't like the sealed desk at school. He could've hidden all kinds of dangerous traps there-"

"I _am_ listening." Ninten wrung his hands desperately into his hair. "Can't you see? Giygas is my uncle. I _need_ answers. I need to know why he's acting this way. This is the best chance I've got. Please, guys. I _have_ to do this."

None of his friends reacted in favor of his declaration. Ness crossed his arms, looking terribly unimpressed. Claus mirrored Ness's disapproval with his trademark "What the fuck, no" expression, and beside him, Lucas met his eyes with sympathy.

Ninten winced. All in all, none of his friends looked like they were going to say-

"All right."

Dead silence. Ninten couldn't help but gape, ogling dumbly at whoever had uttered that unexpected response, because there was _no_ way those words had come straight out of Lucas's mouth.

The delayed reaction was almost palpable.

Three.

Two.

One.

"WHAT?!"

"Lucas, we can't let Ninten waltz into the study room alone," Ness cried. "Ninten doesn't even know any offensive magic. He'll be completely swamped if something attacks him!"

"I know." Lucas swallowed hard, then averted his eyes. "That's why I'll be tagging along."

"Have you gone crazy too?" Claus shouted, all semblance of calm completely gone. Furious now, Claus strode over, halting in front of his brother's feet. "Forget about it, it's not worth the risk-"

"It might be more useful than you think," Lucas said firmly, trying to be brave. He looked up into his twin's distraught eyes. "We still don't know why Giygas wants us. If we want to stop him, then we need to understand his motives."

"I'm going with you," Claus responded in a heartbeat.

"Talk about overprotective," Ninten muttered under his breath, but Claus ignored him.

"No-can-do, Claus," Ness said. "We'll work faster if we split up into pairs. I'm the only one who can use PK teleport and Ninten's the only person who can unlock anything sealed with Giygas's PSI. You and Lucas will have to go separate ways."

Claus shot him a scorching glare. "Whose side are you on now?"

Ness scowled back. "Look, I don't like this either. But Ninten's got a fair point. We'll be way more efficient if we split up."

"And if you haven't forgotten, Claus, as far as we know, Giygas is after _both_ you and Lucas," Ninten pointed out. "Pairing you two together to wander off is just as bad as letting me go alone."

Claus hesitated. Logic clearly told him that his friends were right, even though his heart loudly screamed _no._ A thousand emotions howled and battered against his ribcage, but on the surface, Claus's face betrayed little emotion.

Lucas stepped forward. "Claus, you should go help Ness," he broke in gently. Confidence shone in his shy blue eyes. "We'll stay out of trouble. Ninten's an amazing telepath."

Frustrated, Claus ran his fingers through his own hair. "I guess I can't stop you," he heaved a heavy sigh. "Don't make me regret this, Lucas."

Lucas flashed him a bright smile. "I won't," he said softly, shooting him and Ness a worried look. "You guys be careful."

"Of course," Ness gave him a cocky smirk. "We're _always_ careful."

Lucas sighed. "That's exactly what I was afraid of."

Ness's eyes sparkled with humor. "Well, since that's been settled, let's set up a checkpoint. We'll meet up with you outside at our last campsite."

"Sounds good," Ninten echoed, then they all took their separate paths.

Soon, Claus and Ness found themselves waiting for the elevator to the basement. Claus tapped his foot anxiously onto the floor - the sharp _rattattat_ echoed loudly on the smooth, sickly-pristine tiles. From time to time, Ness would glance at him, then dip his head to check his watch in agitation.

Another minute passed.

Claus clenched his fingers, resisting the urge to tear through the hallways in search of his brother, then chanted - no, _drilled -_ the unspoken mantra into his mind.

Lucas was fine. Lucas was safe.

_Lucas was going to be okay._

Claus exhaled. The tips of his fingers trembled.

 _Am I getting too over-protective?_ _It's not like I don't trust Lucas - if anyone believes in him, it's me. Heck, I've lived with him long enough to know that he can take care of himself. Especially during the time when-_ he cut himself off. _Lucas isn't weak, but after all we've been through..._

No. Lucas was fine. Lucas was going to be okay.

Ness caught sight of his troubled expression. "We'll see them again," Ness reassured him, his own violet eyes trailing down the empty elevator shaft.

Claus said nothing. Instead, he uncomfortably hunched up his shoulders.

_**DING!** _

**"Level 1."**

Ness pressed the appropriate button.

**"Going to... Basement."**

Then the doors clanged shut behind them like a sinister pair of closing jaws, and they descended downwards into the unknown.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The elevator ride was horribly uncomfortable.

Granted, both of them were cramped in silence and darkness, neither of which were very pleasant to begin with, but even worse was the present choice of company. Occasionally, bars of light painted Claus's pale face into existence before the surrounding gloom swallowed it up again.

Claus...

The older twin was still an enigma to Ness, and to be honest, Ness couldn't imagine anyone more different from his blond brother.

When Ness had first met Lucas in middle school, the lonely boy had somehow wormed his way into his treasured circle of close friends. Although Lucas was a little absent-minded, easily losing himself in deep train of thought, he was nothing but considerate and insightful. Even though he spoke little, Lucas wasn't difficult to read; his face was an open book, and the naive boy proudly wore his heart on his sleeve.

In contrast, Claus had instantly struck Ness as cold and sarcastic. He was direct and blunt, never afraid to point out his own opinion. If Lucas willingly opened up his heart to people around him, then Claus shut everyone out. That was Claus. Claus was always skeptical, always alert, always suspicious and critical of everything and everyone. In fact, after befriending Lucas, the first conversation Ness had remembered having with Claus in sixth grade went something along the lines of...

_"Hey Claus," Ness said brightly. "What's u-"_

_"I'm warning you," Claus cut off, narrowing his eyes in a murderous stare. "You fuck with my brother, and you'll have me to answer to."_

_Ness was completely bewildered by the turn of events. "Huh?"_

_Don't pretend that you don't know._ _Lucas won't say, but I'm not stupid. Someone's bullying him behind my back."_

_"You think that **I'm** behind it?"_

_Claus's expression said it all._ _"I know your type," he said dismissively. "_ _You expect everyone to worship you because you can hit a stupid baseball out of the park-"_

_"Excuse me?" Ness clenched his fists. "I don't manipulate other people just because I'm on the baseball team!"_

_"Lies. That's what you all say." Claus's eyes had suddenly turned frosty. A chill ran down Ness's spine. "A lot of people have taken advantage of my brother before because he's nice. I won't let you be one of them."_

Hell, even that particular memory gave Ness goosebumps. Right after that incident, Ness had been angry, and rightfully so, at being so wrongfully accused. He was almost convinced that Claus was an insane psycho who sought pleasure in threatening people. No wonder Lucas had so few friends. Not when Claus was such a control freak.

But around a week after the incident, Claus's threat made sense.

_It had been another end to a day, and Ness had been in a bad mood after a failed History test. Muttering obscenities under his breath, Ness stalked off, heading towards his mother's street food stand, but a familiar flash of red-and-yellow had caught his eye. Ness turned around in time to catch the striped shirt whip into the men's room._ _Brightening up, Ness followed with mischievous intent, ready to scare the flustered blond out of his wits..._

_Instead, Ness was met with an unpleasant surprise._

_"Lucas?" Ness said hoarsely._

_Said boy violently flinched back from the running sink, accidentally slamming his back against the stone wall. Frightened blue eyes shot into Ness's direction as Lucas gasped, cradling his broken arm. "N-Ness?"_

_Lucas's neat hair was a bird's nest. His clothes had been messed up. Dirt caked his face, pale with pain._

_It didn't take a genius to find out what had happened. Claus's angry words filtered back into his head, and rage engulfed Ness like tsunami. "Why didn't you tell me someone was bullying you?" Ness demanded, striding forward._ _Horrified realization hit him. "Has this been happening to you every day after school?"_

_"No, i_ _t's no one! I-I mean," Lucas swallowed hard. "I accidentally tripped and broke my arm."_

_He was obviously lying._

_"Shit," Ness swore, making Lucas look up in alarm - Ness never cursed unless he was **REALLY** angry. "I'm serious, Lucas. This isn't bullying - this is torture!"_

_"It's not torture," Lucas gritted his teeth against the pain shooting up his arm. Unable to walk and fumbling for the sink, Lucas heavily leaned against it with his weight. "I-I can manage..._ _"_ _  
_

_"Here." Ness slid next to him, acting as a crutch. "Lean against me. I'll help you find Claus-"_

_Lucas's eyes dilated in fear. "Ness," he begged. "P-Please don't tell my brother. No one's bullying me, I swear!"_

_His unstable state had rattled Ness to the core. But through some light persuasion and coaxing, Ness reluctantly agreed not to tell Claus and supported him out of the bathroom. Just as they stepped out, Claus turned the corner._

_"Lucas!" Without a second glance at Ness, Claus had hurried over, agitation exuding from his pores. Ness was startled by the lack of malice in those features: there was no scorching skepticism, no biting sarcasm lurking in those eyes._

_Claus's concern was genuine._

_"I found him in the bathroom," Ness said, and then that indifferent mask flitted back on. Claus gave him a piercing look, then narrowed his eyes_ _. At that moment, Ness was so sure that the older twin was gonna pummel him like a punching bag._

_To his surprise, Claus didn't. "Thanks," he'd muttered and ushered his twin away, leaving Ness to wonder if the demonic twin had actually **thanked** him._

But even since then, he and Claus had never been the closest of friends. Claus had stopped eyeing him suspiciously, and they could joke around somewhat, but for some reason, Claus always seemed to resent him.

Although for what this reason was, Ness had no idea.

Ness frowned and stole a glance at the stoic twin. _I hope he's still not mad at me for keeping my PSI a secret._

_**DING!** _

**"Basement."**

Stepping out, the two boys hurried down the seemingly endless hallway. The end of the corridor opened up to a magnificent room swamped by a glittering glass dome. An entrance lay open at the top, a hole in the middle of the perfect forcefield.

Ness cupped his hands to his mouth. "Paula?"

A happy voice. "Ness, you're here!"

"About time too," Came Kumatora's grumpy response.

Ness stepped forward, keeping his gaze fixed on the glass. "Claus, can you-?"

"No need to ask," Claus said bluntly, readying a sparking finger towards the doorway. "I'll watch your back. Hurry though."

Ness flashed him a grin. "Great." Then the familiar sensation of energy rushed to his limbs like a sugar high before he shouted. "PK Teleport!"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus didn't have to wait long. In a few minutes, there was a flash, and a loud coughing as several, soot-covered people materialized in front of him.

"Wow, that actually worked!" Ness announced gleefully, his eyes blinking brightly amidst the soot on his face.

"About time it did," Paula smirked, poking him teasingly on the shoulder. "Have you been practicing elemental PSI like I taught you?"

"Just PK Fire," Ness said sheepishly. Paula glowered at him, and Ness prepared to bolt for dear life... but to his surprise, Paula pulled him into a tight hug. Blinking dumbly, Ness looked down into her hair. "Uh, what-"

A finger stopped his lips. "Shush."

With a slow grin, Ness accepted her comfort and closed his eyes. Paula was here, safe and sound in his arms. All of his friends were all right.

"You actually came," Paula whispered, finally releasing him from her embrace. All the worry she had been hiding behind her confident mask shone through watery eyes. "For so long, I thought-"

"No way," Ness said firmly. "We'd never leave you guys behind."

Paula paused. Then gratefully pecked him on the cheek.

Ness froze in shock. A girl had kissed him.

A girl had _kissed_ him.

Mouth agape, Ness melted into a puddle, his last coherent thought dissolving into gibberish. _Uhbublurbglub..._

Paula gave an amused giggle, and Kumatora rolled her eyes in exasperation.

She wasn't the only one unimpressed by the sappy moment.

"Ew, get a room," Claus said, scrunching up his nose.

Paula shot him a look. "Did you say something _?_ " she asked in a dangerously sweet voice. "Or are you giving Ness a hard time?"

Rolling his eyes, Claus waved her away with a hand. "Not at all. Please, continue making out in front of my face-"

Paula's hands erupted into flames.

Claus inched away. "...Or not."

Ana made her way over, clothes finally free of ash. "Thanks for getting us out of there. We all owe you one." Catching sight of the nearest person, Ana's eyes lit up in recognition. "Hello, Lucas!"

Heaving a sigh, Claus pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm _Claus,"_ he droned in the manner of someone who had encountered this mistake too many times.

Aside from their contrasting personalities, Lucas and Claus were physically identical in body build, height, and hairstyle. The only noticeable difference was that Claus's hair was a darker amber shade from the brighter honey hue of his twin. This difference was very subtle, and had even taken Ness and Ninten a while to recognize and set them apart by sight. Ana, who had never actually spoken to the twins before, would have every reason to be confused.

Catching her mistake, Ana held a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry," she flustered. "I saw you with Ness, so I assumed that you-"

"No, it's okay." Claus waved off her apology, trying to ignore the slight twinge of annoyance that surged at the hint that his brother hung around Ness often. "People mistake me for my twin all the time."

Ness smirked, finally getting over his _blurbablurb_ moment. "You for Lucas? Please. You're the least Lucas-like person I know."

"I could secretly be Lucas in disguise."

Ness did a double take. He carefully studied the twin, before his face perked into a sly grin. "Stop bluffing."

Claus shrugged his shoulders. "It was worth a shot."

Picky could only stare at Ness, mouth agape in speechless shock. For a second, Ness worried that his sudden, energetic display of PSI had been too much for the boy for handle...before the young boy burst into an excited ramble, "Wooooow. Did we teleport? That. Was. Wicked!" He eagerly bounced on his heels. "Can we do that again?"

"Woah, there!" Ness protested with a chuckle, ruffling Picky's hair. "Glad to see you're safe in one piece, Picky. Let's get you home."

Picky shook his head in amazement. "First Paula, and now you...You never told me you had supernatural powers!"

"You never asked," Ness laughed, before placing his lopsided baseball hat on the blond's head.

"Captain."

Ness turned his head to face the new speaker, and his grin widened. "Poo!"

"It is a relief that you have managed to escape from Giygas's clutches," Poo stated, slanted eyes surveying their surroundings. "I apologize that I have not perfected the "curving ball" yet, but I was more preoccupied with the thoughts of my own survival."

"You don't have to keep calling me Captain, Poo." Ness stifled a laugh. "And it's okay. Let's just work on baseball _after_ we clean up this mess-"

"Yeah, yeah, everyone is happy, butterflies for all, we get it. Let's get a move on," Kumatora cut in impatiently. With a sudden burst of energy, she punched a fist straight into the wall. A cocky smirk decorated her face. "Oooh, man, I've been wanting to punch something solid for _age_ _s_."

"You're weird," Claus deadpanned.

"You're one to talk, _freckleface,"_ Kumatora snapped back.

Ness stepped in between them before they could continue arguing. "Claus," he warned.

Claus sulked sullenly. "I won't fight unless she does."

"So how do we get out?" Picky quipped, respectfully offering Ness back his cap. His eyes shone with trust and hope; Ness and Claus's arrival seemed to have boosted the little boy's morale.

Plopping the hat back onto his unruly black hair, Ness pointed down the hallway. "We take the elevator up, then I'll use PK Teleport. We escape into the wilderness, meet up with Ninten and Lucas outside, then make a break for it. Quick and easy."

Paula frowned, crossing her arms. "Ness, I really hate to be that pessimistic person, but don't you think this all went a little _too_ peacefully?"

"Paula's right," Poo added, studying the corridor with rising suspicion. "Giygas did his best to keep us trapped inside. Yet somehow, you and your friends were mysteriously able to sneak in without a problem." He narrowed his eyes in a grim line. "This makes me uneasy..."

"Relax, we stole his blueprint and hacked into his computer. Giygas won't realize until we're long gone," Ness laughed. "What could possibly happen?"

Then a shrill alarm squawked loudly, revolving a flashing red. Immediately, they clapped their hands to their ears.

_**"Intruders Alert!** **Intruders Alert!"** _

Kumatora stiffened up, causing all of them to halt behind her at the screeching sound. Picky squeaked in fright, bumping into an equally surprised Ana. Poo and Paula exchanged startled looks.

Ness stared at Claus in disbelief. "I thought you disabled security-"

"I did," Claus said slowly. "We didn't set the alarm off. Someone else did."

An awful realization dawned onto their faces.

"Ninten!"

" _Lucas!_ "


	16. Red-Green-Yellow-Yellow

_**"Everything's gonna be okay."** _

That used to be his father's slogan. Even in the darkest of days, his dad had stubbornly believed that things were always going to get better. And so, for all of his life, Ness lived by the motto.

As a young child, Ness was oblivious to his parent's worsening financial situation. He was too young to know that his father, who always managed to find time to play _catch_ with him in the backyard, was secretly stressed out from debt and unemployment. Ness had no idea that his parents would hunch over their bills late at night, discussing and worrying about their financial woes. All he remembered was that they were happy, and that was good enough reason for him to be happy as well.

Now, Ness was confused. The loud voices returned more frequently. The yelling. The shouting.

Pain.

Hurt.

Anger.

Ness hated it so much.

It first took root like a disease. His workaholic father finally found a new occupation with a high payroll, but the job was so time-consuming that he never found time to come home, preferring to sleep in his office. If the embodiment of a living ghost existed, it was he.

His absence in Ness's Youth Baseball Tournaments became ever-increasingly consistent. At first, Ness had tried to convince himself with half-hearted excuses. No way was it because his father didn't love him. Maybe his dad had an incredibly important staff meeting. Or maybe his dad was too tired from work. But after some point, the man stopped coming home altogether.

Finally, after his baseball team had narrowly lost Semifinals in a crushing defeat, Ness had mustered up the courage to call his dad's office, hoping that his father would respond with something, anything to break the cold, painful silence.

One ring.

Two.

Then: "I'm sorry, champ. Daddy's busy right now." The line closed with an abrupt _click_ , leaving behind a young boy clutching the plastic phone receiver with nothing and everything to say.

Arguing and bickering rang in his weary ears. That's all his parents seemed to do these days.

"Ness, honey, why don't you go check on your sister?" His mother suggested to him in that strained smile of hers. His father stood behind her in the kitchen with a frustrated, weather-beaten exhaustion weighing his features.

Ness wasn't fooled. A fifth grade child he might be, but he knew what was going to come next. As soon as he disappeared upstairs, the angry voices would start. First came the harsh, barely-audible whispers. Within minutes, voices would rise, and the awful shouting began. Then there was the rough slamming of a car violently peeling away from the parking lot, and a broken woman's sobbing.

It happened every time.

Ness knew. He counted. One-hundred-and-twelve times.

"Please don't fight," Ness begged with a childish innocence, even though he knew it was a hopeless cause.

His mother almost seemed like she was going to break down in distress right there and then, but somehow managed to keep her facade up. Instead, she reassured him with a hug, and Ness closed his eyes. The faint scent of rosemary and honey tickled his nose as his mother's warm hand ran through his unruly black hair.

"Oh, sweetie," she whispered. "Sometimes moms and dads argue, but we still love each other very much."

"Promise?"

His father's own violet eyes softened. "We promise, champ. Everything's gonna be okay." He warmly plopped his baseball cap onto his son's head. "Now run along to your sister like a good boy."

Fingering the bill of his father's prized over-sized baseball cap, Ness forced a smile. "Okay," he managed to say through numb lips, _but_ _it wasn't_ _okay it never was and the anger and pain and sadness would cycle over again-_

He bolted upstairs. Less than five minutes later, the awful bickering began.

"You haven't answered the phone or come home in two months! Don't you care about the children? What about Tracy? What about Ness? You know how heartbroken he gets whenever you're never around-"

"My new job will get us out of debt more quickly-"

"Oh, is that all you're worried about now? Our debt? We _have_ money! And as soon as the sales for my next novel come in, we'll have enough money to pay the bills off for the month. Look at you - You're going to wear yourself out at this rate!"

"Okay, so my job's a little more demanding than I expected! So what? We can always use the extra money. Look at our rent! We barely paid that off after the car broke down-"

It was the One-hundred-and-thirteenth time. The One-hundred-and-thirteenth lie.

Two days later, his parents filed the divorce papers. Ness never saw his father again.

His mother had been nothing but supportive of her children after the divorce. She was a tough cookie, yet soft in the inside, and Ness loved her so. But sometimes, he caught the wistful look in her eyes, the solemn brooding he seemed to have inherited. They were far from poor, but his mother worked hard to keep the three of them afloat.

Sure, his father now called from time to time. He wasn't a bad person. His parents were still civil on the phone. Every time Ness picked up the dial, his father would call him _champ_ in that proud voice of his, and Ness could close his eyes and imagine that he was there right next to him, watching another college baseball game and camping out on the poofy, red armchair in the living room on a dusk-lit Saturday evening.

Whenever his dad called, Ness couldn't help but ask every time: "...Mom misses you a lot. When are you coming home?"

And each time, he would get the same response: "One day, when you're older, champ... you'll understand."

In hindsight, the divorce seemed inevitable. But Ness had hoped. He couldn't imagine his parents suddenly living apart from each other. That's what strangers did right? Not his mom and dad. His mom and dad loved each other.

That was when reality crashed down onto his head. Gone was the childhood innocence, the delusions, the lies. There was only the truth, and cold, hard truth dictated one awful fact: His father was never coming back.

Everything was not going to be okay.

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Sixteen**_ ~

_**Red-Green-Yellow-Yellow** _

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* * *

Kumatora eyed the wailing siren. "-and there goes the alarm. Good thing your friends are right outside. I mean, you've got to be stupid if you let them wander around this place alone."

But when neither Ness nor Claus laughed along with her, Kumatora caught the panicked expressions on their faces, then groaned. "You _didn't-"_

"They must've set off the alarm," Ness said weakly.

Kumatora swore loudly. "Son of a motherfu-"

Paula clapped her hands against a squirming Picky's ears. "We have children present," she snapped.

"Oh. I'm sorry, _princess."_

"I told you not to call me _princess!_ "

Amidst the squabbling and bickering, Picky looked up at Ness with terrified eyes. "What do we do now?"

Ness snapped out of his reverie. Someone had to take control before the situation spiraled out of hand.

"Okay, change of plans," Ness said. "We can't all track down Lucas and Ninten together. It'll waste too much time, and we'll all end up getting captured."

"I'm not leaving Lucas behin-"

"I didn't say we were, Claus." Ness fixed his attention on all of them. "The two of us will track down Lucas and Ninten. The rest of you, head home."

The immediate flurry of outrage was expected.

"Captain, think again-"

"By yourselves? No!" Paula exclaimed. "Ness, we can all work together-"

Kumatora scowled. "Talk about sexist," she snapped, flexing one of her biceps at Ness. "What makes you think that _I'm_ not as capable enough of taking down enemies as _you_ are?"

"Talk about arrogant," Claus snorted.

"Screw off-"

 _"HEY,"_ Ness said loudly that even Kumatora and Claus fell silent. As much as Ness loathed to part with his friends so soon, the situation couldn't be helped. "Listen, I don't doubt any of you, okay? But we need someone to head over to the police, or tell our friends and family what's going on."

"Then why don't you two go home and leave this to us?" Kumatora countered, narrowing her eyes.

"From what I've heard, you know Duster pretty well," Claus said, crossing his arms. "D'you know his dad?"

"Old Man Wess? Of course, I do. That guy works for the police!"

"Well, there you go. The police would take you more seriously than any of us." Claus scowled. "I hate to admit it, but you're our best shot."

"We _have_ to get down to the bottom of this," Ness added. "Besides, if you haven't forgotten, someone needs to bring Picky home." Ness said, trying to sway Kumatora over when she still looked skeptical. " _Please_ , Kumatora-"

"No! Lemme tag along," Picky blurted out, waving his arms around. "I'll... I'll do anything!"

"Picky-"

"My brother betrayed everyone. I need to fix his mistakes." Picky's bottom lip quivered. "I-I... I swear I'll be good!"

Picky's voice touched him, and Ness crouched down to his height. "Hey, listen to me. This isn't anyone's fault except Giygas's, okay? You can't cast magic, and the last thing we need is for you to get hurt." Ness patted Picky on the shoulder. "You shouldn't keep your brother waiting."

Picky sniffled, then wiped his eyes with a nod.

Kumatora's fierce expression softened up by a fraction. "All-righty then." She cracked her knuckles and loudly called out, "What are we waitin' for, people?! Let's hit the road. If those Starmen cross my path, I'm gonna show them not to mess with me," she growled. "Crossin' me was the worst mistake Giygas could've ever made."

"I, too, will escort Picky home safely. PK Teleport Beta should help us escape from the facility." Poo flexed his hands. "Unfortunately, I am out of PSI. Ness, if I may...?"

"Go for it."

Poo closed his eyes, tapping into Ness's PSI core. Ness felt his energy diminish before Poo straightened up. "Thank you. I did not take much, but this is sufficient enough for me to teleport us a considerable distance away from here."

"Wonderful," Kumatora said, striding away with ill-concealed impatience. "C'mon, Pee. Enough talk, more action!"

"For the last time, my name is _POO,"_ the distraught boy groaned, all of his characteristic patience spent.

Kumatora rolled her eyes. "Lighten up, I was just teasing... _JINX!"_ she exclaimed, slapping him on the back. Her gleeful cackle bounced down the hallway. "Hahaa! I'll never get sick of this!"

"Don't mind her, Poo. I'm sure she's not serious," Ness muttered.

Poo sighed like a defeated man. "Patience is a virtue," he grumbled, before drawing himself to full height. "We won't let you down, Captain."

"We might not be there for you in person, but we'll be rooting for you all the same," Ana said quietly, ushering Picky over to Poo's side.

Ness grinned. "Likewise to you both. Safe travels."

Paula narrowed her eyes. "You'd better not don't die on us, bighead boy."

"Everything's gonna be okay," he promised. Recognizing his catch phrase, Paula spared him a weak smile before turning around.

"Wait. Take this with you," Claus said, tossing something small into the air. When a surprised Paula caught the tiny screwdriver on her palm, Claus gestured to the metal cuffs on their arms. "That should take care of those tracking devices."

"How did you-"

"Lloyd's."

Recognizing how short they were on time, Paula accepted this without explanation. "Thanks. And Claus?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sure Lucas and Ninten are both fine. Don't lose hope," Paula said, placing her hands on her hips in a show of renewed confidence.

Claus said nothing, but his shoulders relaxed by a noticeable fraction.

When Poo began to dash around in a circle, all of them averted their gaze. Sparks flew, light seared their eyes, then with a blinding flash of light and crackling _pop_ of energy, their friends vanished.

 _ **Everything's gonna be okay.**_ Ness sure hoped he didn't have to eat those words any time soon.

Without waiting, an antsy Claus yanked Ness out of his thoughts, dragging him down the hallway. "Great. They escaped. Let's move already."

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~oO0Oo~

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Lady Luck wasn't on their side. Just as the two boys broke into a mad dash for the elevator, it opened with a cheery **_Ding!_**

**"Basement."**

"Son of a goat!" Claus swore when several Starmen piled out of the elevator.

With a loud _**crack** _of a bat hitting steel, Ness grunted from surprise. "Gigyas must have upgraded this batch! I can't make a dent, it'll take forever to take them down-"

 _"_ Fine," Claus gritted his teeth. "Lemme try this again. Pk Love!"

Claus doubled over as exhaustion forced him down to his knees. The uncontrollable blast of power ricocheted the walls at random, shredding through Starmen like paper. When a blue hexagon hit his own hand, and Claus hissed, recoiling as if someone had stabbed his palm with a cold dagger.

Next to him, Ness shouted out in pain as another wayward hexagon sliced his knee in a shallow cut. "Ow, watch where you're aiming!"

"I dun geddit," Claus yelled in frustration. When Lucas cast PK Love, the shimmering blue hexagons hadn't hurt him or his friends. Lucas's PSI was safe, powerful, and controlled.

_Then why are my powers so destructive?_

"There's too many of them!" Seizing Claus by the shirt, Ness shoved themselves into a vacant room as more Starmen poured out from the elevator. Ness wrenched the sliding door over. With a groan of protest, the door crawled across its metal railing at a painfully slow pace. Catching Ness's drift, Claus leaped to his feet, throwing his body against the mammoth door. With a last shudder and a sharp click, the door locked itself into place with an echoing **_boom_**.

Their heavy breathing filled the deserted room.

"PK Teleport?" Claus panted, and Ness shook his head.

"Not enough PSI," he grunted, and Claus swore again. They'd just locked themselves into a dead end with no way out. Deja Vu.

The jolted when heavy indents punched into the metal door, their hearts jumping up their throats. The muffled drone rocked the room. **"YOU. SHALL. NOT. PASS."**

"Real creative," Claus said sarcastically. "Got anymore overused pop reference quotes?"

Ness opened his mouth to respond before something caught the tip of his shoe, forcing him to fall flat on his face. Hoisting himself back up, he winced and rubbed at his sore knees, wondering what had tripped him over in the first place.

A cardboard box.

Ness frowned, then slowly traced the strange trail of boxes with his eyes.

Nothing noteworthy here. A messy pile of packages was dumped in the center of the room. As if on cue, another tongue of envelopes streamed onto the pyramid of boxes. In short, it looked like some giant puke monster was barfing out mail from the ceiling-

The ceiling.

Ness's breath hitched in his throat. His eyes slowly traveled up.

_Where there's a mail room, there's always a mail chute._

Ness began clearing out a way to the mail chute.

Claus frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Help me clear this stuff out," Ness grunted.

Realization dawning on him, Claus materialized at his side. Together, they toppled the boxes over. Package after package toppled out of the way, their hard metal contents clattering against the hard tiles. Within seconds, the two boys were staring up at the murky end of the mail chute. It hung far out of reach above their heads.

"Wonderful," Claus deadpanned. "Now, if _only_ we had a way to magically sprout wings in less than 60 seconds, then I'm all ears."

**SMASH!**

One of the Starman punched a hole clean through the door, and Claus jumped. "We could stack the boxes up to the top..." he skeptically trailed off, but they knew it was an impossible feat. The mail chute was too high, and they were running out of time. Fast.

Suddenly, Ness started taking off his shoes and socks.

Claus raised an eyebrow. "Ness, what are you-"

"Claus." That mad glint was back. "I have a crazy idea."

Claus eyed him warily. "What is it?"

"It might sound weird, but trust me-" Ness stuffed his shoes into his bag. "If you do, then we might get out of this alive."

"Brilliant. _"_ Claus hazarded a glance towards the half-shredded metal door. If robots could feel emotions, then the Starmen were _not happy._ When their dead stares prickled his skin, Claus jerked his head away. "Uh, are you gonna tell me what your crazy idea is, or are we just gonna stand here-"

"Newton's Third Law."

"Newton's Third... what?"

"For every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

"I know what Newton's Third Law is, you dingus. I take physics with you," Claus snapped.

"Glad to know that you pay attention in class too," Ness said vaguely, crouching down low onto his feet. "Hop on my back."

"Excuse me?!"

There was an awful crunch of metal. With a groan much like the living dead, the Starmen stuck their arms through the holes of the sliding door in an attempt to slide it off. They only had a matter of seconds before the the door folded in completely.

"Claus," Ness said in an unusually calm voice that left no room to argue. "Unless you wanna die a slow, painful death, I suggest that you hop on my back. _Now."_

Claus caught the no-nonsense tone in Ness's voice, and for once did as he was told. Grumbling under his breath, Claus reluctantly poked a foot between Ness's linked arms and straddled his waist. It was a ridiculously comical sight; Claus was at least a head taller than Ness, which meant that his legs dangled awkwardly off the ground from their piggy-back ride.

Staggering to his feet, Ness rose, readjusting his grip to balance their added weight. "You're heavy," Ness complained.

Claus turned as beet red as his flaming hair. _"Well?"_

"Cast a Shield around us."

Claus concentrated. "Done."

Ness smirked, storing up his PSI like a soda can. "Now hang on tight."

Claus's eyes widened, finally getting the gist of his plan. "Oh no. Bad idea, Ness. Really, _really_ bad idea-"

" _PK FIRE_ ," Ness yelled, shooting out an explosive shock wave of energy from his feet.

To this day, Claus would never admit how loudly he screamed when they shot up the mail chute like a bottle rocket.

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~oO0Oo~

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Ninten had felt both relieved and uneasy when Lucas had volunteered to tag along: Relief because he wasn't alone in his suicidal plight; unease because he now had to worry about the well-being of another person.

So much for a solo mission.

Ninten knew the consequences. After all, he was the reason they all decided to split up. If anyone got screwed over now, Ninten was to blame.

Sneaking a look at his companion, who silently trailed behind him like a ghost, Ninten couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Despite Lucas's calm show of confidence earlier, Lucas's disquiet pulsed through the air. Lucas was no doubt clearly worried about the other party.

Ninten didn't blame him. Even he himself had to wonder the same.

Had it been wise to pair Claus up with Ness?

Whenever Lucas was absent, Ninten could sense the unspoken tension clashing between the two hotheads. Sure, Claus wasn't the nicest guy in the world, and Ninten bickered with him 24/7, but there was nothing serious behind their words, no actual weight behind their quarreling.

Claus's attitude towards Ness though, was a whole different story. It wasn't exactly mean... but it wasn't exactly friendly either.

Perhaps this was trivial. Not everyone clicked together like bread and butter, and Claus was no exception. But whatever the reason, it definitely didn't help that both of his friends were incredibly stubborn. Ninten could almost _smell_ disaster; it was only a matter of time before that tension was going to splatter into a huge mess, and Ninten did _not_ want to play "counselor" again.

Seriously. Counseling either of them to get along with the other was like placing TNT into a blazing inferno, then sweet-talking the bomb not to explode.

"They'll be fine," Ninten muttered, more or less to reassure himself, and Lucas responded with a nod.

In a weird way, Ninten missed Claus's snide side-remarks. Lucas's silence - although far from cold - felt terribly awkward, and even though Claus could be brash as hell, the deadpan snarker managed to make fun of every awful situation with his sarcasm.

Lucas stopped at his side. Ninten glanced up.

They were here.

A pair of heavy iron-studded double doors glared over them. Thick metal chains coiled around its four corners, keeping the steel doors shut. Following the coils with his eyes, Ninten noticed that all four chains looped themselves around a golden lock clasped in the very center of the door. Extravagant, dramatic, and over-the-top. This was Giygas's room, all right.

A tremendous buzz of power washed over them.

They shivered.

Lucas looked awed. Or terrified. Maybe both. "Is that-"

"Giygas's PSI," Ninten said quietly, unrolling his sleeves and placing his bare palm against the lock. It was as cold and frigid as ice. Chills crept up from his fingertips into his spine.

There was no need to talk.

The pair tensed anxiously, watching Ninten's palm glow and flicker like a dying lantern. They couldn't have been less prepared; neither of them had any inkling of what awaited them on the other side.

Apprehension set Ninten's imagination aflame. The words, " _Giygas's study_ ," immediately painted a fictitious mental image of a creepy dungeon lurking with medieval torture devices and rusty shackles hanging from four damp stone walls. Ninten was even willing to bet that Giygas himself was waiting inside, ready to pop out of some 18th Century coffin like a weird halloween-themed birthday surprise, then sic his army of manufactured zombies on them to tear out their skulls and - _God forbid!_ \- eat their brains.

Ninten was happy with where his brain was right now, thank you very much.

His thoughts must have accidentally seeped out of his mind, because Lucas involuntarily shuddered. _Please, Ninten! We're buried several feet underground. I don't want to think about the living dead!_

 _You can't blame me!_ _Giygas rips on you if you even get a single question wrong-_

_Have you been watching **Running Dead**?_

_That's not the point!_

A grateful distraction stole their attention. Ninten's palm flashed a brilliant white. With a clatter like skidding stones echoing in a dimly-lit cave, all four heavy chains slithered away from the golden keyhole. The latch unlocked itself with a stiff **_clack_.**

Then the double doors creaked open.

For several agonizing seconds, the two boys stared into the sliver of space with high trepidation.

Ninten's heart bolted into his throat. "...I guess that means **_Enter_**."

They took a step into the gloom.

Several buzzing fluorescent lights flickered on, assaulting their eyes and bathing the walls in an eerie white blanket. When his eyes finally adjusted to the sudden brightness, Ninten surveyed his surroundings in surprise.

He was sorely disappointed.

Giygas's office looked plain. A common oak desk sat in the center of the room, surrounded by those generic green file cabinets he could buy at O-Mart. With such a carefully-crafted, ornate lock on the double doors outside, Ninten had been expecting something little more interesting than... well, _this_.

What a huge let-down.

 _Ninten,_ Lucas reminded him quietly. _Focus._

Dammit, his nerves were starting to get the best of him. _Right, won't happen again._ Ninten eyed the scant furniture. _I'll sweep the desk. You crack open the file cabinets._

Lucas nodded, then - cautious as always - flitted over to tug a drawer open. Silently, they searched for something - _anything -_ that could shed further light on their predicament.

Time ticked by.

Their seconds were numbered. Each _tick_ of the wall clock set Ninten's nerves ablaze. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. A bead of moisture rolled down his forehead. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

With little care, Ninten fumbled over a stack of papers. The search itself was a scavenger hunt: last year's graded Calculus tests were interspersed between other notes about ancient archaeological findings. At some point, Ninten thought that he'd spotted his own massive failure of an exam before it disappeared into the fray. He was tempted to flip back and look at his score ( _Damn, did I really do that badly last year? How the hell did I even pass?_ ), but managed to check the urge. Angsting over his past grades could wait.

An old, patchy-frayed document caught his eye. It hummed with the same mystical power as Gigyas's blueprint.

An entry.

A page from a journal? A diary?

Eagerly snatching it, Ninten smoothed the paper out. Age and time had rubbed away some of the words and inked scribbles, but as Ninten skimmed down the walls of text, a few decipherable sentences jumped out and caught his eye.

**_19XX_ **

**_"The disease is resistant to PSI. Any attempts to heal the suffering victim with PSI Life UP or PSI Healing is temporary. Death is inevitable..."_ **

**_"...She is growing weaker by the day. I can feel it. Every night, I sit by her bedside, clutching her hand, and her pulse grows ever weaker. She is dying, and there is nothing I can do to stop it..."_ **

**_"...Seven Needles. The Shaman mentioned that the tremendous power needed to pull a Needle stems straight from the heart, which explains why only PK Love users are destined for such a task..."_ **

**_"...under New Pork City..."_ **

**_"George confirmed my suspicions. My nephew, Ninten, can also use PSI. This is it. This is the moment the Shaman had been speaking of. I must find a job to blend in, to keep a closer eye on this remarkable generation of people in the city..."_ **

None of this gibberish made sense.

Frustrated, Ninten took a deep breath and massaged his temples. _Think, Ninten. Think like you're in Mock Trial. What would you do?_

Whenever Ninten was presented with a complicated court case, he would try to break it down. Keep things simple.

So it was what Ninten did.

Carefully, he ordered the deductions in his head, then racked his brains in an attempt to crack the mystery. Based on the journal entry, he listed the hypothetical events in chronological order:

**1\. Something big had happened - a catastrophe so unsettling that it had somehow motivated Giygas to do... whatever he was planning now.**

**2\. The Shaman - the name was capitalized so he or she was obviously of some importance - had foretold the existence of a PK Love user in the city.**

**3\. As he waited for the Shaman's prediction to come true, Giygas stayed undercover as a Math Teacher. Onett was small enough to have only _one_ highschool. Education was mandatory. It would have given Giygas the perfect opportunity to keep an eye on a sizable population of teenage students without stirring suspicion.**

But something didn't add up. Ninten knew he was still missing the main point...

 _What makes PK Love users so special aside from their vast core? Heck, even a two-year-old from the streets could pull out a sewing needle stuck in the ground. Why does he_ _want Lucas and Claus so badly for that?_

_And w_ _hat the heck are the "Seven Needles"? Some radical 70's boy band?_

Ninten resisted the urge to bash his head against the desk and glared at the now-messy pile of papers.

_And if all he needed was someone with PK Love, why did he even bother keeping the other students? Ana did mention that the glass dome absorbs PSI, so Giygas was milking all the PSI he could possibly get, but what's he doing with that massive store of energy? He can't possibly be giving it all to his fleet of Starmen..._

Wanting answers, Ninten scrounged around the table top for any hope of other journal entries, but once again, his search yielded no results. Ninten could only deduce one thing from this confusing mess.

His uncle was batshit crazy.

Lucas's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Ninten, you look a little flushed. Are you feeling okay?"

It was then Ninten realized that his own face was drenched in sweat. The same uncomfortable warmth which he'd flippantly attributed to anxiety and adrenaline had surprisingly remained - His body showed no signs of cooling down.

"Huh, you're right," Ninten said, touching his face in surprise, but quickly shrugged Lucas's concern off. "Eh, I guess it's a little hot in here or something. Did you find something important?"

Lucas turned his attention back to the file cabinets. "Not really. Most of these are a bunch of order forms for Starmen parts. You?"

"Kind of. Once we get out of this mess, I'll fill you in later."

Ignoring Lucas's curiosity, Ninten glued his eyes back onto the old parchment for any facts he might have missed. After a few seconds, he snuck Lucas a quick side-glance, but to his relief, Lucas had gone back to flipping through his own stash of paperwork. Stuffing the old journal entry into his jeans, Ninten crawled under the desk, opening the sealed drawers. There seemed to be nothing important down here either...

_Having fun digging through my property, Ken?_

Ninten jerked his head up, almost slamming his head into the wooden desk. His blood turned to ice at the horribly familiar voice in his mind. ... _Giygas_.

_Correct._

Ninten's narrowed eyes flickered at the pallid walls as if he could see his uncle. _Show yourself._

 _Time and time, you've proven yourself to be foolish indeed._ Amusement tone rippled into Ninten's mind. _Did you think I wouldn't have noticed my missing blueprint?_

Horrible dismay sank into his mind. _You knew that we were here all along._

 _Yes and no,_ Giygas admitted. _When you managed to escape from my clutches, I knew that you couldn't resist checking out my lab. So I waited._ There was a dangerous edge to his voice. _Kudos for hacking into my system. You almost fooled me, but_ _I'm afraid that your little "coup de main" will stop right here._

_Good luck with that, **Uncle**._

_You're lucky that I owe a debt to your family, **nephew**. _Giygas's tone hardened. _Give up_ _. You fight for a lost cause._

 _Giygas,_ _I'm not falling for your ploy twice._

_This is no ploy. Surrender now and join me. I have no intention of harming you._

_I'm not surrendering,_ Ninten retorted.

_We can make a deal._

_Fine. If you promise to leave us alone, then we have a deal._

A heavy sigh of frustration. _Foolish imbecile, foolish child. Listen to what I have to say. Go home. Go home and pretend that none of this had ever happened._

_It's kind of hard to pretend that nothing's ever happened if you're keeping half of my friends hostage!_

_They're not hostages. Your classmates were my helpful guests. I've taken good care of them during their stay. Water. Food. All the essentials needed to keep humans alive. No one was harmed._

_I think you're forgetting psychological trauma-_

Ninten almost felt Giygas's eyes boring into his skull. _I was going to release them all in due time. They are of no use for me._

Ninten hesitated. Was Giygas telling the truth? Had he really planned to release all his hostages in the first place?

Giygas caught onto his hesitation. _You know that_ _I'm a reasonable man_ _._ _I'll grant your friends a safe passage home. A_ _ll I have is a small request._ False concern dripped off his words like honey. _I know that Lucas is in there with you right now. I'd like to borrow him for a short while-_

 _Liar!_ Ninten spat, and Giygas fell silent. _You can't trick me to betray one of my closest friends. You nearly strangled him to death!_

_Everything would've been under control had you not interfered._

_My great grandmother would be turning in her grave if she saw you now,_ Ninten said in disgust.

 _Leave Maria out of this!_ Giygas snapped. _You don't understand. I need him for my plans. Too much is at stake!_

The frantic hitch in Giygas's voice forced Ninten to pause. Uncertainty crept into Ninten's throat. _What... what exactly do you have planned?_

_Will you reconsider my offer?_

_Absolutely not!_

_Then we have nothing to talk about._ Giygas's voice turned cold. _D_ _on't_ _come begging for mercy when you fall into one of my traps-_

Confusion. _What traps?_

_I hope you enjoy TaneTane mushrooms._

The world unfroze, and Ninten tumbled out of his telepathy with a gasp. When he teetered, trying to regain his balance, Ninten slapped his hands onto the edge of the desk to steady his fall-

_**Snip.** _

At the sound of cut string, Ninten glanced at his left hand...

...Which had landed on a cleverly-concealed trip wire.

_Oh no._

The alarm blared overhead. **"Intruders alert! Intruders alert!"**

"Lucas, we need to get out of here!"

A pneumatic hiss.

Then the vents dumped them with a purple powder.

As it billowed into the room like the world's smallest Atomic Bomb, Ninten - already pre-warned about the upcoming danger - barely managed to avoid breathing in the deadly puff of spores. Behind him, Lucas hadn't been so lucky; he'd inhaled an entire cloud of toxic fumes. When Lucas doubled over, sneezing uncontrollably, Ninten darted in to drag him out before body-slamming the heavy door shut.

"Oh geez, are you all right?" Ninten said, alarmed, as he pulled Lucas upright.

Lucas nodded, blinking the powder from his eyes. He sneezed again. "My dose tiggles," he said in a muffled voice. "Bud I beel bine."

A series of metallic thuds.

The two boys whirled around.

Two Starmen had turned the corner with blazing red eyes. From what Ninten could sense, neither of their enemies had PSI, but Ninten didn't give them the benefit of doubt and buffed up their stats.

"Offense up, defense up," he muttered under his breath, and the ground beneath their feet briefly flashed twice to indicate his success.

"PK Love!"

"Defense up," Ninten shouted again, boosting their durability. Lucas flashed him a quick grin before blasting down the fleet of Starmen Juniors.

The Starmen stood no chance against them. Ninten felt his spirits soar. Whatever booby trap Giygas had set on them failed. The two of them could handle trashing the metal bots without a problem.

Who knew that one frying pan could demolish an army of zombie robots? If they ever got out of this alive, Ninten was gonna ask Ness where his mom bought his kitchenware. That stuff could probably win wars.

As the second Starman clattered to the ground in a sizzling heap, Ninten threw his partner a smirk. "What do you know? We make a pretty good team!"

Lucas nodded sluggishly, his eyes out of focus, his pupils strangely dilated. His arms jerked around in irregular spasms like a marionette on a string.

Ninten frowned, but another onslaught of Starmen had lunged for them. Ninten didn't have another chance to check on Lucas as more Starmen cornered them in droves, convincing Ninten to divert his attention and crush every single Starman circuit with his frying pan.

Machine parts scattered, oil spurted, hexagons flew. Left, right, dodge, swing. In mere moments, Ninten was caught in the fray of battle heat, clobbering Starmen this way and that.

But Ninten's worry increased tenfold. Sometimes, Lucas launched his PSI off-course, forcing Ninten to strike out at the Starmen before they could take advantage of the opening. Other times, Lucas seemed to have a problem controlling his rebelliously-twitching limbs. Between the two of them, they could barely fend off their assailants.

Finally, Ninten smacked at what seemed like his thousandth Starman with his frying pan, and the weakened robot collapsed with a sizzle.

"Is it over?" Ninten gasped, wielding his metal pan among the smoldering wreckage like a bat. "Which one of you fuckers is next?"

A couple of broken electric wires sizzled and snapped weakly in response.

Lowering his shoulders with a sigh of relief, Ninten tried to wipe off the oil smeared on his face. "C'mon, Lucas. Let's get out of here."

No response.

"Lucas?" he asked again, turning around in apprehension.

Lucas had kneeled over the destroyed wreckage. An unsettling look of fear etched on his features, Lucas muttered random phrases under his breath that made absolutely no sense to anyone but himself, then without warning, doubled over onto the floor, puking.

...What had Giygas told Ninten right before the alarm sounded?

_I hope you enjoy TaneTane mushrooms._

_Tanetane mushrooms._

_**Shrooms**._

"Shit," Ninten swore. Fear bubbled up his throat, but he managed to stumble over and grasp Lucas's arm. "PK Healing!"

"Claus?" Lucas whispered, turning to him. An excited madness had swamped over his eyes. "I can feel your heartbeat."

Had it been any other time, Ninten might have found this situation funny, albeit disturbing: the Lucas he knew would probably be appalled at the words spewing out of his own mouth.

But Ninten's heart sank like a stone. His magic had left no effect.

"Lucas, I know you're in there." When this did no good, Ninten shook him by the arm. "Fight it! Don't give in!"

Giving no sign that he'd heard him, Lucas dropped back to sit on the floor with a stupid smile.

Now was the time to panic. "Lucas! Please!" Ninten pleaded, now pulling at Lucas's limp elbow. Reinforcements were bound to come, and as much as his weapon of choice was a total unit, Ninten couldn't fend them _all_ off with a good smack of his frying pan. "We need to go!"

The pair of uncertain blue eyes flickered to him in confusion. "Ness?"

Everything went horribly wrong.

A burst of exhaust from a nearby machine part hit Ninten right in the face. Ninten blindly stumbled back, failing to repress a hacking cough. Even worse, was the tickling sensation in the back of his mouth as his throat closed up at an alarming rate. Ninten had enough experience to recognize what these ominous symptoms entailed.

 _No! Not now!_ he begged as he fumbled for his inhaler, but of all times, it slipped from his fingers onto the ground, the ground, the _ground...!_

His chest tightened as if someone was squeezing the life out of him. Ninten dropped to the ground in a pitiful attempt to search for his inhaler with frantic fingers, but his head felt so heavy and he felt so _tired_ -

His vision faded into a fuzzy haze of gray. Ninten's desperate hands scrabbled at the tiles, each attempt weaker than the last.

"L-Lucas," he managed to gasp out before his throat closed off entirely. "H-Help..."

And as the suffocating cloud of darkness stifled his senses, Ninten couldn't help but curse his luck.

_Damn you, asthma._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

His limbs trembled erratically.

Lucas gritted his teeth, trying to focus on the Starmen. But whenever he tried to hit one, there were suddenly _five_ in its place, and Lucas wondered how his magic harmlessly passed through the copies. Either these Starmen were ghosts, or his eyes were deceiving him.

Lucas blinked.

Thick cracked paint slowly melted off the walls in grotesque, gaping tongues of pink. Blood burst from the distorted cracks in the tiled floor, washing over his shoes in a pungent river. The wavy ceiling curved in at a nauseatingly angle, flashing in bright sickening colors before twisting into other distorted shapes. Up was down, left was right, and the room was spinning, spinning, spinning...

Lucas blinked again, and then the world righted itself.

Behind him, Ninten furiously muttered spell after spell under his breath as he slammed another robot aside with a resounding _clang._ Sensing something charging towards him, Lucas dodged, narrowly avoiding a tackling Starman. He picked it off with another PK Love, and watched as his blue hexagons shredded it into a steaming, smoky mess.

When another Starman raced towards him in hot pursuit, arms prepared to strike, Lucas braced himself-

But it wasn't a Starman.

It was Flint.

Sad Flint. Drunk Flint.

Flint the farmer. Flint, his father.

"Dad?" he whispered.

Lowering his bottle of wine, his father studied him with deliberate slowness. Harrowing, haunting shadows lurked underneath Flint's tortured eyes before the man himself suddenly spoke. "I'm gonna beat you. Daddy's gonna to beat you, boy."

Lucas took a shaky step back. "Dad, please-"

Emptiness welled up in Flint's eyes, expanding over the man's dark pupils. Flint gave into a humorless smile. "Lucas is a coward. Lucas is a nasty child. Nasty children ought to be punished." He raised a weather-beaten fist. "Take it like a man," he ordered. "It won't hurt. It won't hurt at all..."

Horrified, Lucas pedaled backwards, screwing his eyes shut. When he reopened them, his dad was gone. Taking another shaky breath, Lucas nearly screamed out loud when Claus materialized behind him without warning.

"Lucas," Claus cackled, dancing around in savage glee. His head was oddly lopsided and bloody; his chest, marred with a gaping stab wound. "Lucas! It's me! Claus! It's me, it's me, it's me."

Claus's eerie grin widened.

Lucas shuddered. His next PK Love flinched horribly off-course.

Sticky blood dribbled out of Claus's stab wound. The crimson trail trickled down his brother's legs and pooled at his feet in a puddle. Clumps of rotting flesh hung loose from Claus's white bony ribs like horrifying curtains of dead skin, and Lucas resisted the urge to gag on the putrid, suffocating smell.

"You liar," Claus whispered. His chest wound bulged and pulsed. His white innards dripped and festered like rotting noodles. "I died. You knew I was going to die, but you never told me."

"I-I didn't mean to," Lucas stammered, taking a step back. "I thought it was just a dream!"

Claus laughed. "Is this a dream too, Lucas?" He plunged his hand into his own gaping chest with a squelch, and yanked out his own heart. The heart dangled limply in front of Lucas's face like a macabre offering, an Aztec sacrifice. The bulging organ continued spurting out blood through its torn arteries, and with every other pulse, blood spattered his brother's ghostly-pale cheeks and trickled down his chin. "Is this just a dream to you?"

"I'm sorry," Lucas said quietly, his eyes burning with tears.

Claus stared at him with pity. "Wow. Look at yourself, Lucas," he said softly. "You used to kneel in front of mom's gravestone and do nothing but cry. I thought you changed, but dad's right. You really are a useless crybaby." His voice dripped with disgust. "Pathetic. Now you know why I left you in the first place."

"Please, don't go," Lucas begged. Guilt ached through his chest, painfully constricting his lungs. "It's all my fault, I'm sorry-"

His brother laughed. "Oh, silly Lucas. Silly, silly, Lucas! I'm dead. I'm alive." Claus seized Lucas's trembling palm and curled Lucas's fingers around his gruesome present. "Lucas! Touch my heart. See how it beats in and out?"

The wet heart squelched in his grasp. He should've been disgusted, but all Lucas felt was relief. The heart thumped irregularly against his palm. Loud and steady.

Claus was here. Claus was safe. That was all that mattered.

"Claus," Lucas breathed. He choked, and his moist eyes swam with relief. "I can feel your heartbeat."

Claus's form flickered in front of him before twisting and reappearing at his shoulder. Claus clapped a heavy hand atop of Lucas's head and wrenched it back by the hair. Lucas could feel the freezing bony fingers tickle the nape of his neck. "I'm braver than you. Stronger even. I'm the useful twin. Without me, you're nothing." Claus's breath hissed tantalizing truths into his ear. "Let's switch places. Let's switch places, Lucas."

A small, yet strangely familiar voice nagged at his mind. _"Fight it, Lucas! Don't give in!"_

Fight? Fight against what? Claus? Claus was harmless. Yes, Claus was harmless. Lucas didn't want to fight him.

"Shhh..." Claus whispered. Releasing his grip on Lucas's head only to tug him over by the elbow, Claus forced him into an uncomfortably tight embrace. Cold blood seeped through the front of his shirt. Lucas shivered as Claus lovingly raked his frozen blood-crusted fingernails through his hair, causing goosebumps to erupt on his bare exposed skin. "Don't cry. I'm right here." Claus's voice distorted into a groan. "And I'm not leaving anytime _soOOoN_."

_"Lucas! Please! We need to go!"_

...That voice sounded awfully scared...

A fuzzy outline of a person blurred into light.

Black hair. Red bandanna. Striped shirt.

Lucas blinked. "Ness?"

"L-Lucas... H-Help..."

Lucas knew this person. He jolted to his feet, pushing his brother off. "Ninten!"

The floor jerked from underneath him, and Lucas fell. He was falling, falling down an endless pit of screaming and crying...

Lucas's eyes snapped open. When the cold hard tiles met his face, he looked around. Ninten had hunched over on all fours, fingers feebly twitching around for his inhaler knocked out of reach. Shaking off his daze, Lucas seized the inhaler and stuffed it into Ninten's mouth, praying that he hadn't been too late.

"Come on, breathe!" Lucas gasped. "PK Healing!"

_Liar._

_Coward._

_What a nasty little boy you are, Lucas._

For several agonizing seconds, there was no response.

Then Ninten coughed and sputtered like a run-down engine. His chest began to rise and fall.

**Ba-dump.** **Ba-dump.** **Ba-dump.**

A steady heartbeat.

Lucas sighed and sank into the floor in relief.

With Ninten clocked out, their odds were against them. Already, pink tendrils had started to distort his mind - Lucas doubted he'd be lucky enough to break free from his hallucinations again. As his fear crept in from his toes, Lucas choked on growing hysteria-

_The boy named Lucas is bullying animals._

_The boy named Lucas learned some bad magic._

_The boy named Lucas is crying at a grave._

His insecurities bubbled and frothed in an excited brew of madness, and Lucas squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't break down now, not when Ninten was relying on him, not when Ness and Claus might possibly be in danger. Without pause, he awkwardly slung his unconscious friend over his shoulder.

_I can't give up. I won't give up._

**Ba-dump. Ba-dump.**

Weird colors clawed themselves into his vision. In the corner of his eye, Lucas spotted Claus lurking in the shadows, regarding his every move with an unnerving, predatory gaze.

Waiting. Watching. Whispering.

**Ba-dump.**

"Everyone's waiting for you," Claus said cheerfully. "Everyone's waiting to throw rocks at you, spit in your eyes, and make your life hell. Who's everyone?"

Lucas slowly met his eye, and Claus's grin widened.

"Everyone you love."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

To their growing dismay, the hallway was devoid of life.

"Where did they go?" a bare-footed Ness shouted, scanning the sooty wreckage of Starmen. "The Starmen haven't self-destructed themselves yet, so they gotta be close by-"

Not even deigning Ness a response, Claus desperately dug through the pile of rubble with his bare hands, even going as far as to kick a stuck arm aside. His ankle smarting with pain, Claus recoiled with a sharp hiss, rubbing the sore bruise away until a strange formation of machine oil caught his eye.

A greasy shoeprint.

Several, to be more precise.

Claus's blood ran cold.

"This way," Claus shouted, and the two of them followed the trail of oil-clad shoeprints. Their wet feet slapped against the hard tiles, echoing down the corridor.

**_Squelch._ **

**_Squish._ **

**_Squelch._ **

The trail of teen-sized shoeprints was far from reassuring - it was an ominous work of insanity. The uncertain shoeprints often shuffled forward a few steps before colliding straight into a door or wall. In other cases, the confused shoeprints wandered around in endless circles before managing to revert back to its original course. The imprints were also heavily bolded, which indicated that their owner was most likely carrying something... or someone.

Ness didn't like the sound of that. All of these shoeprints belonged to the same person. That meant either Lucas or Ninten had been knocked out or gravely injured, leaving the other to fend alone for themselves. And if the odd pattern of footprints was anything to judge by, whoever was conscious wasn't exactly in the right state of mind either.

As the alarm continued to wail, Starmen after Starmen flooded the corridors, smudging up the footprints.

The trail to his brother disappearing before his eyes, Claus screamed in frustration. " _PK Thunder!_ "

A bolt of jagged lightning ripped through the air, and his unlucky opponents contorted in a jittery dance of electricity before being zapped to crisp. Claus wasn't sure if any of the Starmen could use PSI, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give them the benefit of doubt.

Not after what happened last time.

Baring his teeth, Claus blasted Starman after Starman out of the way. It was a mighty sight to behold; Claus looked absolutely furious beyond his wits, viciously exploding every unfortunate hunk of metal that dared to stop him in his search for his brother.

When another Starman had the gall to step in his path, Claus slashed his sparking arm down to cast a spell-

Ness clobbered it aside with his bat.

"That was my opponent!"

Exhaustion taking its toll, Ness hoisted his baseball over his shoulder. "Can't I repay the favor?"

Claus ignored him.

Ness sighed. "You're welcome-"

"I didn't _ask_ for your help."

"Seriously, dude. Why can't you admit that you needed help?"

Rigid-faced, Claus ignored him again and blasted another Starman to bits.

"Claus!"

"Stop telling me what to do!"

"Listen to me, you stubborn idiot," Ness broke out angrily. " _Save your magic!_ "

"Idiot? Who are you calling an idiot?" Claus snarled. "This is the quickest way we can find them, jackass-"

"Can you quit being such an asshole and listen to me for once?" Ness screamed, and Claus froze. "What if they need our help? What if Lucas is injured? How are you gonna fucking heal your brother if you run out of fucking PSI?"

Claus stiffened up. Ness was right.

That didn't mean Claus had to like it.

Narrowing his eyes into slits, Claus was loathe to admit that he had been wrong to _Ness_ of all people, especially since the topic of their debate was over Lucas's welfare. It was already a touchy subject between them to begin with, but now, the frightening mix of frustration, despair, and helplessness ultimately toppled Claus over the edge.

Claus snapped. The grudge he had been simmering against Ness for the past three years had finally boiled over the pot.

"Of course _you'd_ know what's best for Lucas. You've been best friends with him since sixth grade, and I'm just, what, his twin brother?" Claus said bitterly.

"I'm only trying to save everyone from this killer lab," Ness snapped. "What's your problem?"

Claus laughed. "My problem? Oh, I don't have a problem at all. Keep lecturing me on how I should treat my younger brother, because _you_ obviously know him better than _I_ do-"

"I never said that," Ness exploded in frustration, batting aside another Starman. They ducked into the control room, taking brief refuge from the fight. "I care about him because he's my friend-"

"Do you really," Claus sneered. He could almost hear Lucas pleading for him to stop in the corner of his mind, but Claus was already far too gone. The momentum of his speech propelled him forward, and Claus couldn't stop the despicable words that hissed between his teeth. "If you care about Lucas so much because he's your friend, then whose fucking fault is it that he's stuck out here in the first place?"

"Claus, I didn't know that this was going to happen. If I did, I swear I would've said something-"

Claus swiped a hand through the air. Another Starman exploded. "If you didn't know, then you _shouldn't_ have agreed. If you'd sided with me, then none of this would've ever happened!"

"We haven't found them yet-"

"Have you _SEEN_ the footprints?!"

"Listen, they might still be oka-"

 _"Shut the hell up, Ness!"_ Claus screamed. "All you and your crazy plans have ever done is get everyone hurt!" Claus's voice turned hoarse. A lump of emotion lodged itself in his throat. "After my mom died, I promised, Ness. I swore to myself that I'd never let Lucas get hurt again. But now, because of you, my brother could be _bleeding_ to death in some stupid hellhole while we're stuck out here like sitting ducks. So stop saying that everything's gonna be okay, because it's _NOT_ okay. Nothing's okay right now, _OKAY._ Is that fucking _OKAY_ with you, Ness?!"

Claus's words seemed to have hit a major nerve.

Ness froze. All the color rapidly fled from his ashen face.

Heaving from the sudden outburst of emotion, Claus waited for Ness to respond, to yell, to shout back, to do something other than just stand there-

But Ness didn't argue back.

All the fight seemed to drain out of him; Ness's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Fine," he said so quietly in a voice that was barely even audible. His eyes looked horribly hollow. "Everything's _not_ okay. Are you happy now, Claus? Does that make you feel better?"

His taciturn response stunned Claus. He had been expecting Ness to explode back, and now that Ness wasn't giving him a fight, Claus's conscience had finally caught up to him.

Claus had gone a step too far. He swallowed hard. What was he supposed to say now? That he was sorry for being a dick? That he didn't mean to curse him out two seconds ago?

"Ness, I... I-"

All speech had suddenly died from Claus's throat, leaving only stunned silence in its wake. Claus had no idea what he had been about to say, and Ness would never find out.

Because a wide-eyed Lucas had chosen that golden opportunity to stumble in with an unconscious Ninten on his back, sprint past the surprised duo, and smack himself face-first against the wall.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [NOTE 6/18/18]: Lucas and his party ingest TaneTane mushrooms in M3. As a tie into real life, shrooms are drugs classified under hallucinogens (as of 2018), which cause (as their name implies) vivid hallucinations. One year, one of my friends tried a hallucinogen, and ended up locking himself in the bathroom stall sobbing because he thought he was stuck in jail. So yeah, it's potent stuffff
> 
> [NOTE 6/19/18]: Ness's flashback is partly based off of my parents' hardships when I was a kid (2-5 years old?). Because we lived below the poverty line, my parents did their best to live a thrifty lifestyle. But a lot of things happened, the car DID break down at some point, and my dad vented his frustration a little less well than Ness's dad - One of my earliest childhood memories is my mom crying and my dad punching a hole into the apartment wall. People say that money can't buy happiness, but not having enough money is stressful.
> 
> [NOTE 6/19/18]: Reference to Ness's catchphrase taunt (OKAY) in Smash. When I wrote this chapter, I wanted to tie it into the story in more serious ways. :)
> 
> [NOTE 9/23/19]: how the hell did I write so much lmfao


End file.
